


Connections

by W0rldofmy0wn



Series: Unbroken [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: "Unbroken" sequel, Appearances from all Twelve Clans, F/F, NO PIKE!, No AI story line, No nightblood story line, TONS of original characters - Freeform, Titus is not allowed near guns!, no Allie, no jaha, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2018-09-01 23:36:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 178,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8642623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/W0rldofmy0wn/pseuds/W0rldofmy0wn
Summary: Every summer the leaders of all twelve clans come together, gathering in Polis to celebrate the coalition. For two weeks they partake in the most sacred ceremonies of each people, telling stories, trading goods, enjoying the foods found across the Grounder Nation. The time has come, and the clan leaders have gathered, but this year there is an underlying current of tension, an electric buzz Lexa can feel converging in her city. 
Clarke, Wanheda, Ubroukai, and the new Queen of the Ice Nation, leads her small group of people through the gates of Polis, and as Lexa's heart beats unsteadily, overjoyed to see her love again after three months apart, she can feel that tension double. Ten other clans wait to see what this girl they've heard so much about can really do, this girl who fell from the sky and changed the world.  The Commander knows it won't be an easy feat, to get all twelve clans to accept the new queen. Add to that the fact she has invited the Skaikru to the celebrations, and she knows just one mistake could cause her coalition to crumble apart. As the hot summer sun beats down on them, Clarke and Lexa must stand together to face what could easily be their biggest challenge yet. 
Sequel to “Unbroken.”





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the long anticipated sequel to "Unbroken!" If you haven't read that yet, I highly advise getting through that first, otherwise this story will seem very confusing.

It starts as rumors, nothing more than gossip, and most don't believe the stories. The clans that are too far away to have seen it don't believe it, think it's all just a new tale to tell around the fire late at night. The further the tale travels, the more it twists into something unbelievable, little details changing as the story jumps from person to person until from a hundred it shifts into a thousand and then ten thousand, and warriors shake their heads when they hear mothers telling the story to their children. Those who lead the clans, kings, queens, chiefs and ambassadors, think the same thing their people do: it's nothing but a tale the Trikru started that has managed to trickle all the way to them. It happens, sometimes; a story will start in one clan and then will travel with warriors or tradesmen to others. It has happened more in the last five years than ever before, ever since Heda managed to unite all twelve clans under the coalition. The travel between clans still is infrequent, especially in the east where the Maunon still plague the clans around them, but even so gossip spreads. Perhaps, those far away think, it is merely a story meant to reach the Maunon, to scare them away. They do not see how a story could scare the monsters that have lived underground as far back as anyone can remember, but even after five years, none of them pretend to completely understand how other clans think. 

***

The first wave of messengers sweep out in great numbers before winter has really begun to set in, and the clans all realize their mistake. Heda's messengers arrive at eleven villages to seek the leader of each clan, spreading their tales along their way, and that's when they all learn.  
  
The stories, it turns out, are not just stories.  
  
A great structure did fall out of the sky, dropping a hundred strangers in the middle of Trikru territory. Battles, most small in size, were fought between their Trikru sister-clan and the invaders, both sides losing fighters. The other clans know the ferocity of the Trikru warriors; it should have taken little work to destroy the invaders, but the messengers tell them news that makes them pause, makes them shift nervously when they hear it.  
  
The invaders have tek. The same kind of tek that has been aiding the Maunon all these years, the kind that pierces through flesh faster and far deadlier than any spear or arrow. These invaders, these _Skaikru_ as the messengers call them, use their tek to kill the warriors sent to retrieve the land they stole. Only a few weeks after the first round of invaders land, more contraptions fall from the sky, and now there are not a hundred invaders but _hundreds_. When the leaders hear this, many grab for the weapons strapped to their sides or backs, their palms itching to lead their warriors into battle with these invaders. How long, they wonder, will it be before they choose to try to steal land outside of Trikru territory? How long before they come for the other clans, for their _own_ clans?  
  
The messengers continue to tell of the invaders' leader. They tell of how she burned three hundred Trikru warriors alive, of how it is she that gives the orders that lead to so many Trikru deaths. Those listening hear the girl described, and they cannot believe it: this girl, this invader whose hair shines like the sun and whose eyes glow bright like the sky she fell from, she is the one that brings forth so much death? And yet they cannot doubt it, know better than to call the messengers liars because they know, all of them, that looks can be deceiving. Each remember a time when they laughed at the thought of a coalition, of peace reigning between the clans, and yet it was one other girl, whose strength was quiet but oh so powerful, who forced this peace into place.  
  
Those listening to the tale wait to hear what their Heda has done to this invader who dared threaten her people, those she was born to and those who raised her, and when they do they cannot believe it. A truce was struck, the messengers tell them. Within minutes of Heda bringing down the might of the great Trikru army, instead the Skaikru leader presented her with a deal. Rather than fight each other, they chose to unite, to come together to take down their common enemy, the Maunon, the great threat that hunted them all.  
  
Plans were made and an army of two peoples marched against the monsters within the mountain. The leaders of the clans listen as the messengers tell the story of how the greatest army their people had ever seen fought against those who had been picking off their sister-clan's people for years. Those in the room have to catch their breath when the story takes a turn and the messengers tell of the deal the leader of the Maunon gave their Heda in the middle of battle. The leaders all nod when they hear of how their Heda saved all of her people, though their hearts scream for the Maunons' blood. More than that though, they let out a breath of relief when they hear that the invaders were left behind to die by the hand of the monsters inside the mountain. Heda did a great thing, they know: because of her, not only will the monsters no longer pick off her people, but now the invaders will have been destroyed as well. They can rest easy, knowing their land and their people are safe.  
  
It is not so.  
  
The messengers' story does not end when Heda leads her people away. Instead they go on, telling of how the Skaikru leader single-handedly brings the mountain to its knees. Their words paint the pictures, and the leaders hear them and cannot help the fear that grasps like claws at their hearts. This one girl, this single invader kills hundreds, the hundreds of people who had been picking off their own for generations, and she does it with the air. Those who are telling the stories are some of the ones that were there, that returned to the Mountain after, those who had seen just how powerful Wanheda is.  
  
_Wanheda_.  
  
The title causes the throats of those listening to close up. The title has not been used for years, for nearly three generations. Only two others before in their known history have earned the title, and those two who did were as ruthless as they were wise, as powerful as they were skilled. The title is given only to the greatest of leaders, the strongest of warriors, and is only a step below that of Heda. That this invader has been given the title makes all who hear it pause, makes the leaders listening grip tighter around their weapons.  
  
The story goes on to tell of the bodies. Hundreds of bodies, all burned in a way no one has seen before. They tell of the marks, the sores that had long ago stopped oozing by the time Heda's warriors returned to care for the dead. They tell of the horror that was forever carved into their faces, the silent screams that filled the warriors' heads as they carried the corpses to the surface to be burned and put to rest. Mostly, they tell of how when they arrived, Wanheda was already there, staring at the door as though she were waiting for them. Goosebumps rise along the arms of those listening. They say she was silent as they worked, speaking only when utterly necessary, and tell of how she and Heda carried the bodies together to the surface. They speak of the shadows that flickered across her face as the fire raced up limbs and crackled into the air, the way the smoke curled around her as though the spirits of the dead were embracing her. The Commander of Death.  
  
The last piece of news they tell is what many of those listening cling to. She didn't return, the messengers tell them, didn't return to her people once the dead were seen to. No one knows where she went or why she left, it is just known that she did not return. The Commander of Death has disappeared amongst the trees.  
  
Good, the leaders think. Let her disappear, and let the winter have her. She may be able to defeat hundreds of warriors and hundreds of monsters, but she is still only human. Even the strongest person cannot survive easily on their own in the middle of one of the great snow storms. When foot after foot of snow falls from the sky and the wind howls loudly, blowing so fiercely that it is hard to so much as take a step forward, she will fall, they think. Warriors may not be able to kill Wanheda, but the winter surely will.  
  
The leaders of the other eleven clans thank the messengers, give them food and shelter until they are ready to make their way back to their homes, and silently they pray to their gods and the earth to swallow Wanheda up, to strike her down before she can strike them down. 

***

The winter does not kill Wanheda.

***

The second wave of messengers trickle into ten villages as spring continues to push away the winter cold. Snow no longer sticks to the ground, and the chill is beginning to be replaced with a fresh wind that blows in the scent of new life. In some clans, it is already hot, the bright sun beating down on bodies working and playing, all thick furs and heavy clothing tucked away safely until the next winter comes. It has been long enough that most do not think about Wanheda, had almost even forgotten about her. Surely the winter took care of her; what is the point of worrying?  
  
The leaders welcome the messengers, just as they did a single season ago, and it is only then that they begin to remember the invading threat that was named _Wanheda_. Surely, they think, her body has been found, and Heda has merely sent these messengers to assure them all of their safety.  
  
These are not the words they get, and the ones they do stop their beating hearts in their chests.  
  
Wanheda is not dead.  
  
Wanheda is not dead, but the Ice Queen is.  
  
Wanheda _is_ the Ice Queen.  
  
_Ubroukai_ , they now call her. The Unbroken: the one who would not bend, would not break before Nia, before the one who thought to crush her. The one who will never break.  
  
The story is long, and just as worrisome as the first. More, perhaps. The messengers tell of how Heda showed up in Tondc one day, wounded. They tell of her attack, of how Queen Nia sent warriors to kill her, poisoning their weapons to be sure it worked. No one doubts it; it has always been known how furious Nia was when Ula declared Lexa Heda and not her. Everyone knows her hatred, of how she fought against the coalition not because she didn't believe in it like the rest of them, but because it was Lexa trying to unite the clans. Even more, everyone knows of what Nia did, kidnapping Heda's lover and torturing her before removing her head to give to Heda after uniting her nation with the coalition. Yes, everyone knows of Nia's cruelty and hatred, so though they are furious, no one is surprised to hear of her attack on Heda.  
  
What they are surprised to hear is that when Heda rode into Tondc, she was not bleeding, not swaying in her saddle and dying of Nia's poison. Instead she rode in with her head high, her wounds already treated. The messengers tell Heda's story, tell how it was Wanheda who found her among the trees and took her back to her people to be healed. If not for Wanheda, their great leader would have died; few of the clans know what to make of it.  
  
The story continues to tell of Heda preparing to go to war with Azgeda, to wipe them out for their treachery, for breaking the coalition. No one is unhappy to hear this: there is little love for Azgeda among the clans, and less love for its queen. The leaders listen, expecting to hear about how Heda destroyed her enemy, but instead the messengers tell of the arrival of two Skaikru warriors, one who was once Trikru but turned on his people. They tell Heda that Azgeda has captured Wanheda, has taken her prisoner; the leaders listening find both comfort and concern in this, knowing that while Wanheda is a threat, so too are her people.  
  
Heda knew this too, they quickly learn. Rather than go after Nia, Heda leads her army to the Skaikru village, prepared to keep her own people safe. Once again she strikes up a deal with them, combining their armies to go after a common enemy. The messengers are again those who were there, warriors who followed Heda into this battle, and they speak of the hatred between the two people. They speak of the unease, of the tension that rolled between Trikru and Skaikru as they traveled together. Those listening hear of how each side pushed against the other, of how each expected the other to turn against them. They expect those telling the stories to tell how it came apart, how their weak truce unraveled and of the great battle that took place once it did.  
  
That is not what they hear. Instead the messengers tell of Heda, ever strong, ever ferocious as she leads the two armies. They speak of the Skaikru leader, the one who takes over with Wanheda gone, the woman who happens to be the Commander of Death's nomon. Little is said of her, other than that she is a great healer, and she managed to keep her people in line. It was really Heda, the messengers say, who kept the two people from rioting against each other, who kept their sights set on the true enemy. Heda leads them to Azgeda, and it is Heda who realizes just how deeply Nia's treachery runs.  
  
She is the one, they tell the leaders and listeners, those who are hanging on their every word, Heda is the one to interpret the message. No one knows how she does it or how Wanheda left it, but it is Heda who realizes that Azgeda has guns, has the Maunon's tek. When the leaders of the other clans hear this, they are in an uproar, drawing their swords or grabbing at spears, their hearts screaming for the traitors' blood. The messengers give them the moment of fury, and then they continue with their story.  
  
Heda devises a plan, and her mixed army of Trikru and Skaikru attack Keerie, the village Nia is hiding out in. They attack and they break into Nia's army, beating them back and striking them down. The victory is assured, they all know it, and Azgeda is going to fall right after its queen does beneath Heda's sword.  
  
But it is not Heda's sword that brings Nia down.  
  
The listeners go silent as the messengers describe Wanheda as she demands the challenge against the queen who captured her. None of them know what to think, who they want to win. Nia is a blight, a terrible mistake of a queen who needs to be destroyed, but Wanheda is a danger, perhaps a greater danger than any of them have ever known. To wish for one's death means to wish for one's success, and they have no desire to do that.  
  
Any wishing any of them do make is of little importance, and has no effect. The messengers continue their story, telling of how Nia and Wanheda fought, how three peoples circled around them as they did so, of how Nia threw taunts and threats and how Wanheda stood her ground. Nia strikes Wanheda, but Wanheda refuses to go down, and soon she is striking back. They continue until one takes the other down, Nia pinning Wanheda to the ground and the leaders believe that's it, Wanheda is dead, until she isn't. Once again Wanheda surprises them, and Nia is the one that ends up on the ground, gasping for air around blood that bubbles against her lips until she goes still. Nia is gone, and Wanheda is queen.  
  
That shouldn't have been the end of the story, but it is. Heda had gone to destroy Azgeda, but when Wanheda rises, she declares peace and Heda accepts it. When Wanheda nearly dies of the poison Nia had cowardly used on her blade, Heda and her brother and Wanheda's nomon save her. The messengers speak of those hours of not knowing whether Wanheda would make it, and the leaders are surprised when they read the concern that still lingers in their eyes at just the thought. They are not surprised when they learn she has made it – at this point nothing seems to be able to kill Wanheda – but the next words out of the messengers' mouths shock each leader to their very core, shake them as deeply as they can be shook.  
  
Heda and Wanheda are in love.  
  
Neither speaks the words around their people, the messengers admit, but it is nevertheless clear when they see the two together later. Heda remains by Wanheda's side as she heals, refuses to leave Keerie for two weeks even after they have seen to the rest of the traitors. They are inseparable, in a way the warriors have never seen before. They put their people first, yes, but now Wanheda is Azgeda and their people are one. They have won over their people and have won over each other, and it is clear to those who listen to them speak, the Trikru at least have accepted them, accepted this bond between their Heda and this girl who was once invader and is now queen.  
  
Many of those who listen to the story become uneasy when they hear this. The leaders shift or clench their jaws; some wonder what kind of spell Wanheda has managed to cast over Heda and her clan. They cannot see how this girl, this one who is still such a threat to them all, can be allowed to live, let alone be liked and respected. They can feel the messengers watching them, waiting for a response that they will undoubtedly report back to Heda, so they nod and say nothing, but inside they feel the fear twisting and turning, settling over them like a second skin.  
  
They think one thing: Wanheda is a threat, and one that must be seen to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if you haven't read "Unbroken," I would suggest reading it before getting into this story. While this prologue gives a very basic summary of the major events of the first story, there are many characters and many other smaller plot points that were introduced in "Unbroken" that have pretty major roles or lead up to certain plot lines in this story, so without already being familiar with those I'm afraid you'll be a little lost.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this little bit! I will be getting the first actual chapter up later tonight, so you won't have to wait long for more. In the mean time feel free to let me know what you think about this prologue, and to those of you who celebrate it, have a Happy Thanksgiving, and to those who don't, I hope you have a great day in general! Thanks all!


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is the first chapter of "Connections!" Also, whenever a character is speaking in all italics it means they are speaking in Trigedasleng. Just as a heads up. Enjoy!

_...We will be leaving in two days. In just over a week I'll see you again. I can't wait. I'd leave now if I could, but we're still making sure we have everything. It's strange, needing to travel with so much stuff; on the Ark we didn't have much (we didn't do much traveling either though) and we didn't have much after landing. It's almost too bad we have so much now. It's a lot easier to forget something when there's so much of it to remember._  
  
_Thom and Reese are incredibly excited to see you again. Like really, really excited. Every day for the past week Reese has barely talked about anything other than training with you, and even Thom seems up for a little training. They're almost more impatient than I am. I'm pretty sure if I left early, I wouldn't get far before they caught up with me. Then again, they kind of have a knack for that, don't they?_  
  
_Jojesh has been telling me as much as he can about the Coalition Celebrations, and the different ceremonies there will be throughout the next couple of weeks, but he admits to only knowing so much. So you'll have to fill me in on everything once I'm there._  
  
_I miss you, but for the first time in three months I can write those words knowing that it's only a few more days until I see you again. I don't care what else happens once I'm there, being together will make everything worth it._  
  
_I have to finish this now. Our tradesmen are getting ready to leave, and if I want them to be able to bring this letter to you, I have to stop writing it. I'll see you soon, Lexa. Very, very soon._

 _Ai hod yu in,_  
_Clarke_

Lexa closed her eyes as she finished reading the message, letting the words settle into her heart for at least the hundredth time. She'd received the letter ten days ago, and every day since she'd read it over and over, carrying it with her, safely hidden within her pocket. She'd read it so many times that by now the words were practically ingrained into her skin, but still she read it again, hearing Clarke's voice inside her head as she did so. She felt her heart beating heavily inside her chest, anxious and excited, nervous and overjoyed. Three months had gone by finally, possibly the longest three months of her life, and now her time apart from Clarke was quickly ending. Any time now she should be arriving, her and her people walking through the gates and into Polis and back to Lexa. The Commander simply had to control her impatience until that long-awaited moment finally arrived.  
  
Cries from below wafted up and broke through her carefully spun cocoon, but as she opened her eyes to look down, she felt the corners of her mouth tug up. These cries were not ones she need worry about: these were the cries of traders, trying to get passersby to take a look at their goods. The cries of vendors trying to sell their meats, of children chasing each other in the streets and mothers calling after them. They were the cries of peace, far more powerful to Lexa than the cries of war, and she let them sink inside her just as fully as Clarke's words did.  
  
She stepped forward, clutching her letter in one hand while the other lifted to settle easily on the stone railing in front of her. She stood out on her balcony off of her throne room, so far above Polis that she could simply look down and see her people painted out beneath her. Dots moved below, a never-ending number of them, all moving haphazardly from one direction to another, and she just watched them as they did so. Her gaze swept out over Polis, slowing as she subconsciously searched the areas of her city she had given to her honored guests. The leaders of the twelve clans would be welcome to stay in her tower, each given their own room and all the comfort and luxury Lexa could provide along with it, but those traveling with them had been given rooms outside her tower, in different sections of her city. She knew each location by heart and the name of every person who would be staying there, and now she scanned each building simply as something to do. The Lake People and Delphi Clan had yet to arrive, nor had the Plains Riders, but each of the other clans had arrived within the past couple of days. All save the Ice Nation, that is, or Lexa's other honored guests. She felt her nerves begin to buzz beneath her skin as thoughts of Clarke and the Skaikru and what she had planned began to swirl in her mind, but she pushed them down, stamped on them until they had fizzled out. Clarke would arrive when she arrived, and nothing Lexa could do would change that. As for her plans for the Skaikru, she would make them work; she was, after all, Heda. This would hardly be the most difficult thing she'd ever had to do. She hoped, at least.  
  
A cool breeze blew, wisps of Lexa's hair dancing around her face, and once again her eyes fell closed as she let out an almost silent sigh. The breeze was a welcome relief, one they hadn't gotten much of so far this summer. For weeks now the sun had blared down on them all, its heat stifling and leaving Lexa and all her people nearly missing the chill of winter. There had been no break from the heat, the air hanging around them so thick and heavy with humidity she could practically feel it sticking to her skin. Sweat beaded along the nape of her neck, condensing until the drops grew large enough to fall down her back, soaking into her shirt. The shirt, as thin as it was, stuck to her, its long sleeves clinging to her skin, and she thought momentarily of removing it, of finding something cooler to put on, but even just thinking about the effort to return to her room and find something else felt like the use of too much energy. Her pants clung to her as her shirt did, but she tried to ignore the discomfort, knowing that no matter what she wore, the heat would effect her in the same way. Her one great reprieve was that for the moment at least she didn't need to be wearing her Commander gear. Her sash and pauldron currently hung in her room, both waiting to be worn once the festivities truly started, when she had to be only Heda and look the part. She didn't look forward to having to wear them. The heat was bad enough with what she already wore; adding to it, especially adding her heavy uniform, would make it nearly unbearable. Perhaps if it would only rain the heat might break, but so far it had been an unusually dry summer, a fact that people had been talking about for weeks now. Already she'd heard of small fires in three different villages, none lethal but all nevertheless worrisome. If they didn't get rain soon, Lexa feared there may be more to come.  
  
The door opening to her throne room pulled Lexa out of her thoughts, her body subconsciously straightening as she carefully hid Clarke's note back in her pocket. She remained where she was, looking down over her city, knowing that her guards wouldn't have let anyone they didn't know in the room without announcing them first, and instead simply listened as the person slowly made their way over to her.  
  
“Heda,” she heard murmured, and lifted her head almost imperceptibly higher. “Taitus,” she replied coolly, giving a small nod of her head. She turned, seeing her councilor standing with his head down, his back bent in a bow of respect, and lifted her eyebrows at him. “ _You have news for me?_ ”  
  
“Sha, Heda,” he answered, only then looking up, and as he did her eyes flickered to his face. She could tell that he was trying to keep his expression clear, to not give any private thoughts away, and yet she could see the shadow of doubt pulling at the corners of his mouth. “ _We've just received word that the Skaikru are nearly here. They should be within the gates shortly._ ”  
  
“Mochof, Taitus,” she told him with another nod, turning fully around and preparing to move towards the door, but he stepped forward, not blocking her way but clearly trying to keep her from going. She lifted her head, giving him an even look and he tilted his, even as he didn't look away. “ _I urge you, Heda; be cautious with the Skaikru. The other clans will not like that they are here at this time, will not like finding out that you invited them._ ”  
  
“ _I am always cautious, Taitus,_ ” she reminded him, somehow managing to look down on him even though he stood taller than her. “ _I do not need your council to tell me what I already know._ ” He clenched his jaw, clearly wanting to say more but holding it back, and she softened just a bit. “ _I will keep your concern in mind, but the clans will welcome the Skaikru._ ”  
  
“ _They will not like it,_ ” he just repeated, meeting her look again. “ _Even members of Trikru still do not trust them; the other clans will see them as nothing more than a threat. It will be difficult enough to get them to accept the Sky girl as Azgeda's new queen; trying to get them to accept that Skaikru have been invited to witness these celebrations will-_ ”  
  
“ _They will accept it,_ ” Lexa cut him off, taking a step towards him, keeping her tone low. Her lips pursed momentarily, refusing to look away from him as he stood before her, shadows still passing across his face. “ _Because I tell them to. They are my people, Taitus; I am Heda, and the clans will do as I say._ ”  
  
“ _It is not that easy, Heda, and you know it,_ ” he argued, keeping his own tone low as well. There were few who would dare to argue with her, and he was not usually one of them, so the fact that he did so now told Lexa just how much this concerned him. “ _Having the invaders here is not something that the leaders will just accept. The traditions, the ceremonies that they will be witness to are sacred to each clan. You remember how difficult it was to get each of them to agree to allow other clans to see them; having outsiders be witnesses is something most will not stand for._ ”  
  
“ _I am aware of the challenge that is ahead of us, Taitus,_ ” she assured him. She folded her hands behind her, thinking of how even he didn't realize exactly how great that challenge would be, but kept her expression blank. “ _Believe me when I tell you I have prepared myself for it. Your concern is appreciated and noted, but the Skaikru_ will _be welcome, and they_ will _witness our clans' celebrations. Anyone, leader or otherwise, who has a problem with that will quickly be reminded of who their Commander is. Understood?_ ”  
  
“Sha, Heda,” he murmured, bowing from the waist and keeping his head down. She could see he still didn't like it but clearly he had pushed himself are far as he was going to with the argument, and was ready to let it drop. She just nodded to him, stepping around him as she added, “ _Now I must go see to our guests. Find Indra and tell her the Skaikru are here._ ” Without another word from either of them she left the room, keeping her head high as she walked and left him behind to no doubt worry more about the Sky People and the rest of the clans.  
  
As she made her way through the halls of her towers and into her elevator, she tried to push all thoughts of the clans and their leaders out of her head. She knew Titus was right; few clans would be happy when they found out that she had invited the Skaikru to Polis. She was walking a dangerous line, attempting to balance along a cliff's edge, and one wrong move and not only would she fall over, but so would her coalition, the unity she'd fought so desperately for ever since the moment she was named Heda. If she wanted to keep the coalition alive and thriving, she was going to have to fight tooth and nail over the next couple of weeks while always keeping her cool mask on. One slip, and everything she'd spent her life working for would fall apart. She had to attempt it though, had to attempt to put into effect the plan she had spent three months painstakingly going over alone in her room, or her life might fall apart in other ways, ways she refused to allow.  
  
Stepping out of the elevator as it reached the ground floor, she nodded to the guards standing outside its door, both returning the nod with a polite bow of their heads, and then made her way to the door. It seemed as though the moment she stepped out into the sun the heat hit her once again, fresh beads of perspiration collecting along her hairline, but she ignored them, keeping her head high as she began walking towards the gates of Polis. She wanted to be there the moment the Skaikru assembly showed up, to try to dissuade any unpleasant interactions before they could truly even step foot into the city.  
  
As she walked she greeted those she passed by, Trikru and visitors alike, with a simple nod or soft greeting. Children running along the streets stopped to watch her pass, some looking away shyly while others shot her large grins. Vendors called out to her, offering her a free sample of their delicious wares, and always she politely declined, often times promising to be back. Mothers and fathers, warriors and tradesmen watched her pass, awe or simple pride pulling at their lips, and every interaction just seemed to make her walk taller, hold her head higher, effecting her more than the terrible heat ever could.  
  
“Heda,” she heard called out quietly behind her, and internally she winced, her facial muscles remaining smooth. She knew that voice and felt herself slow down, when in reality a large part of her really just wanted to run and hide away. She turned only part way, giving the young woman a slight nod as she hurried to catch up, falling into step beside her.  
  
“Dala,” she greeted, glancing sideways at the other girl. “ _How are you? Did you rest well, after your long travels?_ ”  
  
“Sha,” Dala informed her, giving her a little smile. “ _I did. Thank you for the room; Polis Tower is as beautiful as it was the last time I visited._ ” Lexa saw her give a quick look around before adding, “ _Your whole city is beautiful._ ” Lexa could feel the other girl giving her a look out of the corner of her eyes, could see the way her lips quirked up in the smallest of smirks. “ _I've always believed that cities reflect their people._ ”  
  
“Mochof,” Lexa answered, trying to find a delicate way to step around that last part. “ _My people have worked hard to keep it beautiful._ ”  
  
She could see the other girl's smirk grow slightly, and had to fight to keep her inner sigh from growing and escaping. She had dared to hope that in the months since she'd last seen Dala the girl would have gotten over her crush, but clearly that hadn't happened. Apparently Dala was not about to let the rumors Lexa knew had gone around months ago about her and Clarke keep her from trying once again to win the Commander's attention. Again she fought to control her expression: the next couple of weeks had suddenly gotten longer, and possibly more complicated. As if she needed this on her plate as well. Still, one young woman's crush didn't stack up next to the possible fury of ten angry clan leaders; this was a problem at least that was easily enough dealt with. Or rather, easily enough ignored. Lexa didn't doubt that it would become abundantly clear to Dala once Clarke arrived that her own heart had been stolen already. As Dala stumbled beside her though, casually bumping into Lexa's arm, the Commander truly wondered if the other girl would let that dissuade her from still trying. Her expression not changing, the Commander reached out to help steady the other girl, simply nodding politely when the other brunette smiled at her and dropping her hand away the moment she'd righted herself.  
  
Dala attempted more small talk as they walked, all of which Lexa managed to keep light and meaningless, politely nodding when the conversation called for it. The other brunette clearly had no plans to leave her side any time soon, her body staying in-step with Lexa's, and so the Commander did as was expected of her, talking with the other girl while managing to side-step the few casual compliments Dala tried to throw her way. They made their way around the final bend in the streets, the gate just ahead of them, and for a brief moment Lexa could have let out a sigh of relief at finally making it, before she nearly flinched when she saw who already stood by the gate. Luna, leader of the Boat People and Dala's mother, stood ahead of her, looking ahead of her towards the gate, and casually talking with Taigon. Hearing their footsteps, Taigon and Luna both turned, her brother barely even trying to hide his smug smirk when he saw his sister approaching with Dala right beside her. If she didn't know any better, Lexa would have said that the same small smirk tugged on Luna's lips just before she managed to control her expression.  
  
“Heda,” Luna called, bowing her head to the Commander as she closed the distance between them. “Luna,” Lexa replied, returning the motion. “ _I hope that your first night in Polis helped you rest after your long trip._ ”  
  
“ _It did,_ ” Luna answered, eyes flickering over Lexa and her daughter's heads and looking out over the city as best she could. “ _It's always strange at first, getting used to the size of your city, but once I do I always just want to see more of it._ ”  
  
“ _Perhaps Heda would be able to give you a tour of Poulis later, to help you re-acquaint yourself with our city,_ ” Taigon offered. He turned to Dala, giving her a simple smile before he added, “ _I'm sure your daughter would love to see more of the city too._ ”  
  
“ _I would_ ,” Dala agreed, returning his smile even as she seemed to inch just a bit closer to Lexa. “ _A tour would be wonderful, Heda._ ”  
  
It took every bit of self-restraint Lexa had not to lash out and kick her brother, and as it was she barely managed to contain the withering glare she so desperately wanted to shoot at him. She could practically see him laughing at her, his joy at her discomfort evident in his eyes, and she promised herself she would do something in the next few days to get him back for this. Pushing the thought of revenge to the back of her mind to plot out later, she looked at first Dala and then Luna, telling them both, “ _A tour of our city sounds like a wonderful idea, but I'm afraid I may not have the time later to give it. I will see what I can do to find someone who can._ ”  
  
“ _Of course,_ ” Luna agreed easily, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders. “ _With all twelve clans gathered together as well as the Sky People, you will be too busy to give tours._ ”  
  
“ _Sky People?_ ” Dala asked, surprise clear in her voice. Her eyes flickered between her mother and Lexa, suddenly focused on something other than trying to flirt with the Commander. “ _They're coming here?_ ”  
  
“ _They should be here within a few minutes,_ ” Lexa told her, barely even looking at the other girl and instead focusing on her mother. She didn't know how Luna knew about them; Lexa had been careful only to mention the Skaikru's trip to Polis to a few people, and while she knew that word traveled fast, this was faster than she had expected. Clearly seeing the surprise she hid, Taigon shrugged, pulling her attention to him, before he informed her, “ _Taitus found me when he was looking for you and told me that they were almost here. I met Luna on my way here, and she asked to join me when she found out where I was going._ ”  
  
“ _I was happy to hear they were coming here,_ ” Luna added, turning to look quickly back towards the open gate only a few yards away. “ _I'm interested to meet the people that Wanheda comes from, and would like to find out how those who were found near my village are doing._ ”  
  
“ _From what I know, they're well,_ ” Lexa assured her. “ _A few of them went with Wanheda and have joined the Ice Nation, but the rest are with the Skaikru. I don't know that any of them will be coming with this group, though._ ”  
  
Again Luna shrugged. “ _It will be good to meet those who do, then,_ ” she replied, and motion behind her pulled first Lexa's and then everyone's attention back towards the gate. Taigon smiled, turning towards the group of people drawing near, and simply said, “ _It looks like you'll be meeting them very soon._ ”  
  
In the small clearing between Polis's gate and the trees, a band of people approached, a couple of Trikru warriors leading them. The group seemed to consist of nearly two dozen people, the majority walking around or in front of the two large wagons traveling with them. Two horses pulled the wagons, two of the half a dozen Lexa knew they had after personally gifting them to the Sky People upon returning from Azgeda three months ago, carrying the supplies she knew they'd chosen to bring to try to trade with any of the twelve clans gathered. She could see Raven sitting in the seat of one of them, steering the horse with what even from far away Lexa could tell was a loose grip on the reins, while the one they called Harper drove the other. Bellamy walked near Raven's wagon, the gun he always seemed to have strapped across his back and his hands hanging freely at his sides. Everything about his posture appeared casual, but even so she noticed his eyes quickly glancing around, obviously not feeling quite as at ease as he tried to show. Others spread out around and behind him, but Lexa ignored everyone else, instead focusing on the two walking at the front of the group, flanked on either side by her warriors.  
  
“Chancellor,” Lexa greeted, stepping towards the oncoming group and holding out her arm. “Marcus. Welcome to Polis.”  
  
Abby approached her with a smile, the look not as concerned as it was guarded. Her gaze too had been shifting around, first looking at Luna and Dala behind the Commander, and then past them and into the city, her eyes widening slightly as she tried to take it all in. It was clear to Lexa that beneath the awe she obviously felt, the Chancellor was nervous about stepping into a city now crawling with those she knew wouldn't trust her or her people. But when she looked at Lexa the smile she gave was genuine, and her grip on Lexa's arm as she reached between them and returned the welcoming gesture was strong, a clear indication that while she wasn't entirely sure what to expect over the next few days, she at least trusted the one in charge of it all.  
  
“Heda,” Abby returned the greeting, nodding at Lexa. “It's good to see you again.”  
  
“It is good to see you again as well, Chancellor,” Lexa returned, and then shifted so she could offer her arm to the man standing next to her as soon as the Chancellor released her grip. “And Marcus, it is good to see you again as well.”  
  
“It's an honor as always, Heda,” Marcus told her, a large smile pulling at his lips. Unlike Clarke's mother, he showed no trace of worry, instead not trying to hide his own awe at the great city standing behind her. He was entirely polite, giving her all his attention until they broke apart, and then his focus shifted to the buildings and people, his gaze never staying still for more than a moment as he tried to take it all in. She couldn't help but give him a small smile as she watched him; his awe at her city made her proud, made her raise her chin a little higher at this great thing she ruled over.  
  
“Chancellor,” Taigon said, stepping forward with a large smile and clasping Abby's arm. The woman returned his smile, her grip on his arm no less tight than it had been on Lexa's. “Taigon.”  
  
“Chancellor Abby,” Lexa spoke up, calling Abby's attention back to her. She turned slightly, gesturing to Luna and Dala, both standing back just a bit and watching the greetings taking place. “This is Luna, leader of the Boat People. She is the one who sent the messenger over the winter, telling me of your Tesla survivors. And this is her daughter, Dala.”  
  
Luna stepped forward as she introduced them, her head held high and eyes guarded, clearly studying these strangers. Lexa watched as Abby met her look, studying her back for a moment before giving her an easy smile and holding her hand out once again. “Luna,” she said simply, tone genuine. “It's an honor to be able to meet you. Thank you for what you did for my people.”  
  
The leader of the Boat People's eyes flickered down to the offered hand before the corners of her lips twitched up, suddenly returning the Chancellor's smile. She reached forward, fingers clasping gently around the other woman's arm as she replied, “I only did what was right. I am glad your people were able to return to you safely.”  
  
“They did, and we owe that to you,” Abby told her. Nodding to Lexa she added, “And the Commander, of course. I hope we will be able to payback some of that kindness over the next couple of weeks.” Luna nodded, agreeing, but her eyes flickered back to Lexa, the young woman clearly seeing the slight surprise the leader of the Boat People hadn't quite been able to hide as it flashed across her eyes. Apparently it had not yet crossed her mind that the Skaikru may be there for more than just a short period of trading goods.  
  
“You will be here for the Coalition Celebrations?” Luna repeated, still watching Lexa, the Commander's cool air not breaking even a hair under the sudden scrutiny. It was Marcus who answered, either not noticing the surprise or choosing to ignore it, the happy smile still pulling at his features. “Yes, the Commander invited us to witness your wonderful ceremonies. It is truly an honor, and one we don't take lightly.”  
  
“It will be an honor to have you here,” Lexa replied politely, even while the wheels of her plans had started spinning the moment she saw the group moving towards the gate. Ignoring the way she could still feel Luna studying her, she looked back over the group of Skaikru, now all milling around and waiting to be told where to go next. Many of those in front of her were familiar to her, by face if not by name, and she thought over all the Chancellor had chosen a good group to represent her people. That was until she saw who stepped out of the back of one of the wagons, a bag slung over his shoulder. Seeing Jasper, she felt her spine straighten, her jaw imperceptibly clench. While it was true he had redeemed himself to a point in the attack on Keerie, she would never be able to forget the fear that had gripped her as he pointed his gun at Clarke, the blonde foolishly placing herself between him and his true target. She would never forget it, and she would never be able to entirely forgive it.  
  
At the very least, she was relieved to see he carried no weapon, not any big enough to be visible, at least. Other than Bellamy and one of the older members of the group, she didn't see any guns, and wondered how readily they had agreed to leave the majority of their weapons behind, a policy that had been put in place for this time of celebration three years ago when the Rock Line Clan and the Shallow Valley Clan had nearly started a new war right in the middle of one of the celebrations. Since then she had banned weapons from all those except the direct leaders of the clans and only two guards, knowing that she would have had a new riot on her hands if she had banned them altogether. The only other times anyone was allowed to have anything larger than a knife out was if they were training or if the weapon was a part of a clan's ceremony, and that in and of itself was a policy that some clans accepted more readily than others.  
  
Moving beside Jasper, Lexa saw Monty, and felt another slight release in her tension. He at least seemed to have a cool head on his shoulders, very much opposite the other boy, and seemed to be the best at calming his friend down when needed. At least she could hope he would be of some use, if Jasper decided to start attacking her people as he had once threatened to do.  
  
“Bellamy!”  
  
Over her shoulder, Lexa heard the boy's name called, and watched as he turned towards the voice, the cautious nerves she had seen in his expression disappearing just momentarily as the widest of grins broke out across his face. Ignoring everything else around him, he began forward, his stride turning almost into a run.  
  
“Octavia!” he exclaimed, his relief as clear in his tone as it was in his expression, and Lexa's gaze followed him, watching as his sister ran directly into his arms. Bellamy lifted her off the ground a few inches before placing her back down, but his arms didn't loosen their grip. Lexa fought the urge both to smile and roll her eyes: watching it, one would think this was a reunion that had taken years to come together, rather than a mere few weeks.  
  
Behind Octavia, Lincoln and Indra walked at a much calmer pace, but they both too looked excited to see the guests. Lincoln nodded to Raven, Monty and Jasper before moving to stand near the group around the Commander, lowering his head slightly in greeting to Abby and Marcus as he did. Lexa had to bite back her grin, seeing the look of complete and utter surprise that flashed across Luna and Dala's faces as Indra strode right up to Marcus, possibly the largest smile either of them had ever seen from her tugging at her lips. Marcus's expression mirrored her own, the two coming together in a brief but friendly hug.  
  
“Markus kom Skaikru,” Indra called as she moved, her arm falling to his even as she pulled away. “Welcome to Polis.”  
  
“Mochof, Indra,” Marcus replied, his accent far less atrocious than it had once been. The fierce warrior cocked her eyebrow, still grinning as she asked him, “What do you think of our capital?” For a moment he just scanned around him, nearly getting lost once again at the sights and sounds. “Meizen,” he finally whispered, awed. “Simply beautiful.”  
  
Indra's grin widened, clearly enjoying his amazement, before she turned to Abby. Grin shrinking slightly but not leaving, she nodded to the other woman, reaching her arm out in welcome. “Chancellor,” she called, giving Abby a nod. “Welcome to our capital. I hope you enjoy your time here.”  
  
“Mochof, Indra,” Abby replied, returning both her smile and the clasp of her hand. “I'm sure we will. It looks like this will be a wonderful couple of weeks, exploring your beautiful city.”  
  
“Tondc is mine,” Indra told her, gesturing to Lexa. “Polis is Heda's city.”  
  
“How is Tondc coming along?” Marcus wanted to know, his attention officially pulled away from the activity around him. His brow furrowed, focusing again on the chief. “I'd be happy to bring a few of our workers around, if you could use another few sets of hands to help finish with your building.”  
  
“That shouldn't be necessary,” Indra informed him with a slight shake of her head. Eyes flickering over to Octavia where she still stood with her brother, the two now having moved over to the wagon Raven still sat on and many of their other friends with them, she added, “With the help you gave at the beginning of the summer, as well as those sent by both Heda and Wanheda, we have nearly finished rebuilding our village.”  
  
“Wonderful,” Marcus declared, his eyes crinkling in delight.  
  
Dala, who had been listening to the conversation, raised her eyebrows in surprise. “ _Wanheda sent some of the Ice Nation to help rebuild a Trikru village?_ ”  
  
Lincoln, standing near Indra, nodded. “Our queen wanted to lend a hand,” he answered in Gonasleng, mostly for Abby and Marcus's benefit. “It was her way of proving that peace is truly possible between our two people. With Nia gone, that peace is thriving.”  
  
It wasn't the entire truth, Lexa knew. Yes, helping to rebuild Tondc after the Maunon's bombing had always been Clarke's goal, but after becoming Ice Queen, it was easily an idea she could have let go of. Instead she had sent Octavia, Lincoln, and one of her Azgeda warriors to help, both for her own peace of mind and so that Octavia could get some closure over that one piece of history between them that the younger girl had never been able to let go of. Lexa didn't need it written out in a letter to understand Clarke's reasoning and had seen the obvious difference in the young warrior when she first arrived to Polis on her way to Tondc, and only a few days ago when she had accompanied Indra back to meet back up with her queen for the Coalition Ceremonies.  
  
“I see,” Luna stated, eyeing Lincoln. An eyebrow ticking up, she looked at the warrior, telling him, “And I see that is not the only change since Wanheda's rise to queen.” She pointed to her chin, gesturing towards him, and he mirrored the motion, fingers brushing over the two smooth scars that now adorned his skin, one on either side of his chin. The scars weren't long, curling only an inch or so beneath his chin, but the addition and its intention was still striking, even to Lexa. The scarification and the identical marks Octavia wore now labeled them as Azgeda, the Ice Queen's warriors and only one of the major shifts Lexa could feel taking place now that Clarke had taken Nia's place on the throne.  
  
“Mm,” Lincoln agreed, nodding towards the leader of the Boat People as his fingers continued to rub at the two scars. “They took some time to get used to.”  
  
“So now you wear the Trikru tattoos and the Azgeda scars,” Luna stated, her head tilting to the side. “You carry the traditions of two clans with you wherever you go.” Her gaze shifted between Lexa and Indra, studying the two members of the clan he had chosen to leave, and saw no animosity there, saw nothing but a cool stare from the Commander and squared shoulders from the chief. Something had happened there, something that the leader of the Boat People was willing to bet had something to do with the young warrior still speaking with many of the young Skaikru, but clearly whatever it was had ended peacefully enough. She would have to try to get the story out of one of them later to help truly piece together these strange people who had fallen out of the sky, but for now she felt her lips turn up in the smallest smile, letting the topic drop when nobody tried to continue it.  
  
Lexa could feel Luna studying them all, but ignored her. For now there were more important things to do than to let the woman's curiosity control the conversation, such as getting the Skaikru settled in to the city. Turning her focus back to Abby and Marcus, she said, “I imagine you are all tired from your trip. I have rooms set aside for your people where there should be enough space for everyone with you, as well as an area just outside it where you should be able to leave your goods and horses.” The Chancellor gave her a half smile, nodding.  
  
“Thank you, Commander,” she replied. “That sounds wonderful.” As she spoke, Marcus turned around, holding one arm up while the other hand cupped around his mouth. “Alright,” he called out, drawing the attention of their people back to him. “Let's go get settled in.”  
  
While the many Skaikru began to shuffle around, picking up the few bags they might have dropped or simply just falling back together by the wagons, Lexa turned around, leading the way further into the city, everyone else following her. This time as she walked through her streets, those watching didn't smile, most looking nervously first at the Skaikru and then at her, clearly unsure what was going on. She showed them a strong leader, her head held high and chin proudly out, hands clasped calmly behind her back. Every now and then she could hear faint murmurings, nervous whispers made by a few who held back, just watching them go by, and she wished she could reassure them. The best way to do that, she knew, was to show no fear, no worry or concern, but she wished she could do more.  
  
Marcus either missed the tension from those watching them pass, or he completely ignored it. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him, his head swiveling around as he tried to take it all in, and the deeper they traveled into the city the further away from the group he got. Children too young to understand worry or fear ran past him, yelling at each other and at him, giant grins pulling at their lips, and he just smiled back. Vendors who couldn't care less who passed by them so long as they stopped before they did yelled out, at her, at the group around her, and at him, and finally at one he stopped. She slowed her pace, not coming to a full stop but making it easy for him to catch up, and managed to catch pieces of their conversation, fighting the smile that threatened to tug at her lips as she realized he spoke almost entirely in Trigedasleng, the words broken but no less legible. When he caught back up with the group he held out a skewer of meat, his eyes closing briefly as he bit into it, a sound of pure delight breaking from his throat. Again she fought a smile, knowing that at least she would have one person likely to accept her plan.  
  
“While the leaders and representatives from each clan visit, we give them their own space in the city to make their own,” Taigon explained to Abby while Lexa's focus shifted back and forth from her people to the group around her. “Usually it is just a building or two, but it gives them a chance to make part of Polis their own.”  
  
“It also keeps each clan separate from the others, at least some,” Luna added, also eyeing the crowd. Lexa had begun to spot members from some of the other clans mixed into the crowds, varying levels of surprise written across their faces as they realized who she led. “The coalition is strong, but it is still better to keep some clans away from others when possible.”  
  
“I see,” Abby replied, her tone even, but Lexa could see her eyeing the crowds as well, a mixture of the same wonder Marcus clearly felt and concern for the different looks they were receiving written across her face. As they moved forward, Lexa caught one of the onlooker's eyes, and she held her head higher. Asher, King of the Rock Line Clan, narrowed his eyes as he looked past her, his heavily-muscled arms crossing over his chest. Abby must have seen him too, as Lexa felt her stiffen slightly beside her, but otherwise didn't let the clearly threatening stance intimidate her.  
  
“Do not worry, Chancellor,” Lexa said, speaking just loudly enough so that she knew the king would hear her as well. She didn't look at him, kept her voice calm, but knew he would know the warning was meant for him. “You and the rest of the Skaikru will be safe in Polis. You are my guests, and therefore under my protection. You have nothing to fear.”  
  
“Mochof, Heda,” the Chancellor replied, keeping her tone as even as the brunette's had been. The party continued on, most of the crowds now ignoring them as soon as they saw that their Commander led the strangers, but every now and then Lexa could feel eyes on them, clearly trying to make sense of these unexpected strangers.  
  
Turning down one of the many streets, this one only a short walk away from her own tower, Lexa led the group to the two buildings that had been cleaned out a week ago for the Skaikru's use, nodding to the two warriors already standing outside the doorway of the first. Ryder and Shet had been two of the few she had told ahead of time about the Sky People's invitation to Polis, and here they stood, ready to stand as a reminder to everyone else that these people were her personal guests.  
  
Seeing the two large warriors, Lexa thought she felt Abby relax slightly beside her. Giving them a polite nod as the distance closed between them and the group, she said, “Ryder, Shet: it's good to see you both again.”  
  
Ryder just nodded, ever the quiet warrior, but Shet grinned, his eyes rolling over the group. “It is good to see you, Chancellor.” Gaze shifting to Marcus, his grin only grew, nodding down to the man's hand. “You have healed, I see.” Marcus's lips tugged up even further, lifting his hand and turning it around as if to show the progress. “Good as new,” he answered before clapping the large warrior's shoulder. Shet had been one of the warriors she had sent at the beginning of the summer to help with the rebuilding of Tondc, and apparently he and Marcus had become fast friends one day when the Skaikru leader got his hand stuck between two rocks and then insisted he could keep working once Shet managed to free him.  
  
Turning around so she could easily see the Sky People, Lexa nodded towards the buildings behind her.  
  
“While you are in Polis, this will be your home,” she informed them, focusing primarily on Abby and Marcus but feeling many of the others watching her too. “You will be safe here. Inside you should find everything you will need to be comfortable.”  
  
“Thank you, Commander,” Marcus replied with a respectful nod of his head. “Mochof.” Lexa returned the nod and then looked back at the two of them. “I must go now, but I was hoping to show you both Polis Tower later. Once you are settled in. Until them I am sure Taigon would be happy to show you around our city, if you would like a tour.”  
  
“Sha,” Taigon agreed quickly, stepping up and giving them a smile. Getting an idea, Lexa fought the urge to grin, turning and finding Luna and Dala still with them, the younger woman standing almost nervously, clearly unsure what to think about the Skaikru. “Dala,” Lexa called, and she saw the other brunette visibly perk up, happily stepping forward. As she reached the small group, the Commander nodded towards her brother, informing the other girl, “Taigon will be giving the Skaikru a tour of Polis later. I know you said you wanted to see more of our city, so why don't you join them?”  
  
The girl deflated slightly at the offer, clearly having hoped to somehow get Lexa alone for her own tour, but before she could think of a reason to politely decline the offer, her mother stepped up behind her. “Very good,” Luna agreed, placing an arm around her daughter's shoulders. “I will join also. It will give us a chance to talk. I have many questions about your people, Chancellor, if you will answer them.” Abby returned her smile, giving the woman a slight nod. “I would be happy too,” she agreed. “I have some questions about your people as well, if you don't mind.”  
  
About to say something about how well that worked out, Lexa caught her brother giving her a little grin, and narrowed her eyes at him, just enough for him to notice. His grin only grew, but rather than look at her he turned his attention to Dala, giving her a friendly smile as he told her, “ _I can show you some of the Commander's favorite places, if you'd like._ ” The young woman's lips turned up, clearly far more excited by the prospect now than she had been a second ago, and Lexa once again fought against glaring at her brother. “Sha,” Dala said, “ _That sounds perfect._ ”  
  
Deciding it was time for her to take her leave before her brother could try anything else to make her life more difficult, Lexa nodded politely to the group. “I must go,” she simply repeated as she began to turn around. “I hope you like our city.”  
  
Before Lexa could get very far, she heard a quick call of “Heda,” and stopped, waiting for the Chancellor to catch up to her. When the woman did, the Chancellor slipped away entirely, and all Lexa could hear was the mother speaking as she asked quietly, “Clarke, is she here yet?”  
  
Expression softening just slightly, completely understanding the woman's impatience, Lexa shook her head. “No,” she told her, keeping her own tone low. She knew it was no secret, her feelings for the blonde, but even so it felt dangerous to speak too loudly about the girl they both loved. “She has not arrived yet, but she should be getting here at any time.” Abby nodded, disappointment flashing across her face briefly. “You'll let me know when she does?” the mother requested. “If you see her first?”  
  
“I will let you know, yes,” Lexa promised. Abby gave her a little smile, the thank you obvious in her expression, before she took in a deep breath, turning to rejoin the group still standing outside the two buildings. The Commander watched her go, feeling the same anxiousness she had read on the Chancellor's face, before she too turned to continue on her way.  
  
Soon Clarke would get there; soon they would be together again.

***

The warrior stood silently, his side resting against the rough bark of the tree he huddled behind. For hours now he'd waited, eyes always moving, searching for the reason he was out there. He'd barely dared to hope that he would be the one to spot the target first, felt sure that one of the others spread out through the miles of trees would find her instead. There had been no guarantees which way she would travel, what paths she might take to get to Polis, and so his king had told them to fan out, to cover any and every possible route. What then were the chances that she would choose the path he waited down?  
  
But no matter how slim the chances had been, there she was. Even with the distance still between him and his target, the warrior knew it had to be her. She rode at the front of her party, golden hair sweeping over her shoulders, back straight and head held high, but even so it was clear to him that she still was not used to riding, not in the way that many of her companions were. Two yongon rode on one horse beside her, both clearly still getting used to the form of travel as well, but the two large men behind her rode as though they'd been doing it all their lives. The rest of her party spanned out behind them, two giant wagons loaded with wares being pulled and people riding both in and around them, but the warrior had eyes only for the girl at the front of the party. His orders had been simple: she was not to make it to Polis.  
  
Silently the warrior shifted, letting more of his weight rest against the tree beside him. The trees covered him, hiding him away from his target and her party, while they all rode through the open field in front of him. They would have no idea what had happened, would react too slowly to do anything about the girl's death, and he would get away. Even if he didn't, he would die for his people, successfully completing the mission he'd been given. Sight not shifting away from his target for even a millisecond, the warrior lifted his bow, the arrow already resting against its string, drawing it back without so much as taking a breath.  
  
Just as he was about to loose the arrow, he felt the sharp edge of what had to be a knife press lightly against his throat, nicking the skin. He stilled as a drop of blood rolled from the fresh puncture wound, slowly beading down his long neck. He hadn't heard the approach, had been too focused on his target to hear the nearly-silent footsteps coming up behind him and now he felt a body press against his back, the knife never moving away from his neck.  
  
“ _If you so much as blink, I will slit your throat._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! Starting off a little slow, and then leaving you on a cliffhanger already; what other way is there to start a story? ;)
> 
> Hope you are all enjoying so far! I love Taigon and he and I will enjoy torturing poor Lexa with Dala for a while. Next chapter we get to see Clarke and how being queen has treated her since last we left her in Keerie, so stay tuned! It is my goal to get the next chapter out within the next week or so, so be looking for it! Thank you all!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> "Mochof" - "Thank you"  
> "Meizen" - "Beautiful"


	3. Chapter 2

Sef wriggled in front of her, grinning as his head swiveled around, trying to take in everything at once. Clarke couldn't help the small smile playing along her lips, her arms tightening their grip around the little boy to keep him on top of the horse even as her fingers remained curled firmly around her reins. He'd been like this all morning, curious about everything they'd passed and trying to look at it all, and even though her arms were starting to get tired Clarke couldn't help but let him try. Riding beside her, Thom's eyes were almost as wide as the toddlers, clearly still impressed by the thick groves of trees spread out around them and wide open sky even after months of being on the ground. The blonde couldn't blame him, her own eyes often itching and breath getting caught in her chest as she looked around her and thought about just how beautiful the ground truly was compared to the Ark. Reese didn't seem all that impressed by the great greens and blues and browns surrounding them, her head held high and chest puffed out as she stared in front of them, always acting the good warrior. Catching a quick glance of the girl's expression out of the corner of her eye, Clarke didn't even try to stop her grin from growing.  
  
“You know Reese, you could look around a little if you wanted,” she teased lightly. “We're going by a lot of beautiful scenery, and I think you're missing all of it.”  
  
“A warrior has to always be ready,” the girl informed her, her chest puffing out a little further while her hands clenched tighter around her reins. The horse she and Thom rode on had grown used to the two small bodies and the constant shifts of tension in its reins, so ignored the way she inadvertently pulled against them, a slight twitch of its ears the only indication it had noticed. It continued to move steadily beside Clarke's, gait not changing as Reese once again lightly tugged on the reins. “That means I can't be distracted by anything.”  
  
Sitting behind her, Clarke saw Thom roll his eyes. “You just want Heda to see you being a good Second when we get to Polis,” he accused her, sticking his tongue out at her when she shot him a look over her shoulder. Clarke coughed, trying to hide her grin behind her hand before Reese could see it, entirely sure that Thom was absolutely correct in his accusation. Even so, at the reminder that she would be seeing the Commander very soon, the blonde felt herself shift in the saddle, sitting up a little straighter. Sef felt her move and looked up at her, his big grin infectious, pulling even more so at the corners of Clarke's lips.  
  
Behind her, Clarke could hear the hooves of their other horses and the shifting bodies of the people with them. Jojesh rode behind her just to her left, every now and then his horse getting close enough to be seen out of the periphery of her vision before falling back just outside it. Across from him and riding just behind Reese and Thom was Roan, the equally large warrior quiet as he followed his new queen. Every now and then Clarke could feel his eyes on her, studying her the way she'd known he'd been doing for weeks now, ever since she rode into his village with a number of Keerie warriors at her back, informing him and everyone there that she was their new queen. The story of Nia's treachery and fall had shocked many of those there, the news that this stranger now led them the greatest shock of all, and everyone had turned to Roan to see what he would do. As the greatest warrior of their village and one of the warriors who had often worked not far under Nia, it had been clear to Clarke that they all followed his lead. He had followed her back to Keerie after that, claiming he wanted to lend a hand to the village that had held against an attack mounted by Trikru and Skaikru forces, but Clarke knew he'd only done it so he could watch her, study her until he could determine whether she would be a good enough leader for his people. Many weeks later, and she still didn't know what he thought, his expression nearly always one of carefully constructed indifference.  
  
Further back, behind the two warriors, Clarke could hear the constant creaking of their wagons, four sets of wheels turning as the horses pulled them forward. When last she'd looked back, Kurtis and Kila, Sef's grandparents and two of the first people to fully support Clarke's newest title and role, had been riding together in the first one, the two bickering good-naturedly about something she couldn't hear, while Niylah, one of her greatest tradespeople, rode in the second wagon, steering it easily as Callie and Luca walked beside it. Watching for a moment, Clarke had quickly realized the craftsman was pointing out various trees and flowers they moved by and teaching Callie their names in Trigedasleng. Every now and then she could hear the two talking, could make out the rough names sliding over Callie's tongue, the foreign words sounding far more natural than they had when she'd first been learning the language only three months ago.  
  
Allowing herself to sink into the serenity of the moment, of the steady noises of hooves thudding against the grass-covered ground and the birds whistling in the trees around them or overhead as they flew by, Clarke relaxed her grip slightly against Sef, giving the toddler just a little more freedom to easily look around. That grip almost immediately tightened again when she looked up, finding two people walking towards her from the tree lines, two horses being led by a line behind them. The first, a stranger, stumbled forward, his arms obviously bound securely in front of him, the tip of a long knife never straying more than a couple of inches away from the back of his neck. Behind him, holding the knife in one unyielding hand and her horse's lead in the other, Clarke recognized one of her own warriors.  
  
She pulled her horse to a halt, the rest of her party stopping almost immediately along with her, and felt Jojesh move up closer to her until she could see him in the corner of her vision. As he watched the young man stumble forward, his hand moved down to the hilt of his sword, clearly ready to protect his queen the second she appeared to be in any kind of danger. Roan moved forward as well, coming around the other side of Reese and Thom's horse, his own hands steady with the reins. Those by the wagons held back, Callie and Luca moving to stand between them, all of them watching the man being forced towards their queen. When there was no more than a few feet between them, the Azgeda warrior's leg shot out, forcing her prisoner to his knees.  
  
“Ontori,” Clarke began, gaze smoothly gliding from the fierce girl in front of her to the young man now on his knees. “ _What is this?_ ”  
  
“ _An assassin, Ubroukai,_ ” Ontari answered, her knife still held easily in her hand, its tip dangerously close to the man's neck. She kicked him again, the sole of her boot connecting heavily with the man's back, and forced him forward, his bound arms reaching out in an almost desperate attempt to keep his face from smashing into the ground, but he didn't make a single sound. “ _I found him in the trees, an arrow already aimed at you._ ” Pulling her horse forward another couple of steps, she reached up with the same hand, grabbing the bow she'd strapped to her horse's saddle. Meeting Clarke's eyes she stepped around the assassin, her back briefly to the young man but the blonde could tell by the way she held herself that if the prisoner bothered to try anything, Ontari would have him back down in the dirt in seconds flat, this time with her knife sticking out of his chest. The girl was nothing if not a talented warrior. She handed Clarke the bow, waited until the blonde had a hold of it, and then stepped back behind the prisoner. “ _I thought about killing him and saving you the trouble, but figured you'd want to take care of him yourself._ ”  
  
The words were a challenge; Clarke knew it, and didn't let her gaze break from Ontari's. Of everyone in the Ice Nation, Ontari had been the most vocal against her rise to queen. She'd yet to do anything but talk, but Clarke knew that the other girl didn't trust her, maybe even hated her for killing Nia. For years before Nia's rise to power, Ontari had been her Second, Nia's shadow, and even before meeting her Clarke had heard the stories. She had always been known to do Nia's bidding, no matter what it was, no matter how gruesome or cruel the act, and in doing so had developed a certain reputation among the Ice Nation. Most people feared her, both for her deadly abilities and terrible temper. Among those who were now her people, Ontari was Clarke's biggest threat, and she knew it.  
  
For the moment however, the Ice Queen couldn't let this other girl control her focus. Breaking their stare, Clarke allowed her gaze to drop to the man on the ground, studying him more closely. After catching himself he tilted his head back up, as though trying to refuse to bow before her, and when Clarke met his eyes he didn't look away. Where she expected maybe to find fear, she found only resignation in his expression, clearly expecting the worse now that he had been caught. His dark skin was almost completely covered, any marks that might clearly identify what clan he belonged to hidden away. He didn't appear to be much older than Clarke herself, the smooth skin along his jaw almost a surprise after going months of seeing some kind of facial hair on almost every man she interacted with. The only indication he gave of his fear was the way his fingers pressed together, his hands still bound firmly at the wrists.  
  
“ _Stand up,_ ” Clarke finally ordered, voice clear and unwavering. Before the would-be assassin could even attempt at rising, Ontari grabbed him by the little hair he had on his head, roughly yanking him to his feet. He barely flinched under the painful handling, and still didn't allow his eyes to drop from the blonde's. It was Clarke who eventually looked away, turning towards Jojesh and giving him a slight nod. “ _Call the others back._ ”  
  
“Sha, Ubroukai,” Jojesh immediately agreed, and then pursed his lips together, an ear-splitting whistle shattering the quiet around them only a second later. “Mochof,” she told him, silently wishing she could whistle like that, and then instead of turning back to the prisoner, she looked over at Reese and Thom waiting beside her. “Thom, go get in the wagon with Callie, please. Reese, I want you to go help Echo and Nygel guard the wagons.”  
  
“But Claaarke,” Thom whined, face immediately falling. “I wanna stay up here with you! I don't wanna ride in the wagon.” Reese scowled, and had she not been holding the reins, would have crossed her arms. “I'm your Second,” she argued, glaring momentarily at the man now standing only a few feet away from the blonde and then looking back. “I'm supposed to be by your side. Whatever you're gonna do, I can handle it.”  
  
“You are my Second, and I'm giving you an order, Reese,” Clarke easily replied. Nodding to Thom, she added, “You too Thom. Go please.” They stayed there for just another moment, Reese still glaring and Thom looking like she'd just kicked him, before the young girl jerked stiffly on the reins, turning the horse around. Roan shifted his horse out of the way, letting them pass, and then closed the slight gap that had been left between them. A moment later Clarke saw Echo jogging towards them, exiting the trees she'd been skimming through, and caught her eye. The older girl moved over to her, her gaze almost immediately going to the man in front of her. Clarke saw her eyes narrow and hand fall closer to the knife hanging from her belt, clearly reading the situation.  
  
“Ubroukai,” the warrior called as she closed the space between her and her leader, but didn't look away from the threat standing far closer than she liked. She only looked up when Clarke shifted, lifting Sef up from his spot in front of her. “ _Take Sef back to his grandparents, Ekou,_ ” the blonde told her, carefully transferring the toddler down to her. “ _When Naigel comes back from her own scouting, tell her I want you both to help Ris guard the wagons. Have Kali, Kertis and Luca take up the extra bows, too. I want our party armed._ ”  
  
“Sha, Ubroukai,” Echo agreed, shifting Sef so that most of the toddler's weight fell against her hip. Her dominant hand remained free, fingers curling loosely around the hilt of her knife, her palm itching for her sword instead. She would draw it once the toddler was passed off to his grandmother, and until then felt it resting comfortingly along her back.  
  
With the three children cleared and safely out of the way, Clarke looked back at the prisoner, quickly making a decision. She pushed herself up, one leg swinging over the back of her horse before dropping to the ground, leaving the bow balanced precariously on her saddle. Now on the same level as the assassin, she had to look up, the warrior at least half a foot taller than her. He looked down at her, shoulders squaring as her fingers curled around the hilt of her own knife, quickly drawing it from its place along her belt. She saw the muscles along his jaw twitch, an obvious sign he wanted to move, wanted to get away from the approaching danger, but he stood his ground. Clarke didn't look away from him, even as she held her knife higher.  
  
Before the warrior could realize what was happening, the blonde grabbed his hands in her free one and yanked them forward. Her knife bit through the rope that had so securely been holding his wrists in place, and then even as the shock registered on his face, she was turning back around and re-sheathing her knife.  
  
“ _Mount up,_ ” she ordered, grabbing her saddle horn and hoisting herself back up onto the back of her giant horse even as her fingers wrapped around the bow again. Falling back into her saddle, she looked down at the now free prisoner, eyebrows lifting when she saw the look of surprise along his face, but otherwise ignoring it. “ _We still have some time to go before reaching Poulis._ ”  
  
“ _What-_ ” Ontari began, fury building in her tone, the knife still in her hand falling down to her side, shaking as her anger and confusion washed through her. At the same time Jojesh urged his horse forward, as though to put himself between his queen and the danger she had just released. “Ubroukai,” he said quickly, his voice low even as he refused to take his eyes from the man who'd just been freed. “ _What are you doing? He was going to kill you._ ”  
  
“ _I know, Joujesh,_ ” Clarke replied coolly, letting her horse shift beneath her, clearly as ready to keep going as she was. “ _But he didn't. I am not riding into Poulis with the body of a man from another clan slung over his own horse. Not when we are going there to celebrate the coalition._ ” Her eyes flickered back down to him, as well as to the younger girl standing behind him, dwarfed by the tall warrior but looking like far more trouble. Nodding to her, Clarke continued, “ _Ontori is smart; I know she has stripped him of his weapons. For the moment at least, he isn't a threat._ ” The compliment seemed to cool the angry warrior down just a little, and the next moment she was pulling herself into her own saddle, the knife still in one hand. Glaring down at the man who was, for all intents and purposes, still their prisoner, she tossed the lead of his horse down to him. When he reached over to grab it, hesitating for just a moment, she spat at him, hitting him square in the chest. Eyes shifting back up at Clarke, Ontari gave her a look, her jaw clenched, before she urged her horse back between the queen and the wagons.  
  
For a moment Jojesh studied his queen, clearly trying to understand what she was thinking, and then shook his head. “ _He may not be the only one sent,_ ” he finally said, flicking his reins. Passing between Clarke and the warrior who still stood by his horse, the large man gave the prisoner a harsh look. “ _If you try anything, I will gut you,_ ” he promised, voice dangerously low. The younger warrior still said nothing, not breaking beneath the harsh glare. After a second Jojesh continued forward, placing himself squarely in front of his queen, and Clarke knew he was trying to shield her from any other arrows that might be hidden among the trees and pointed her way. Roan's mount moved closer to her as well, protecting her from the side, and when the strange warrior finally mounted, he unintentionally protected her other side. Just as Clarke was about to call the order to continue on, she saw more movement along the treeline, and then waited as Nygel moved over towards them, the spear she always carried steady at her side. The woman's eyes swept over the party, clearly noticing the new formation and then the new addition, scrutinizing the warrior as she got closer.  
  
“I see we picked up a stray,” she called, eyes flickering over to Clarke's. “What kind of trouble did you get us in now, Ubroukai?” The blonde grinned at her, the lightness of the older woman's tone obvious, and then replied, “I don't find trouble, Nygel, it finds me.” Nodding back towards the wagons, she told her, “Help Echo and Reese guard the wagons.” Without another word Nygel nodded, lifting her spear a bit higher in a mock salute, and then kept moving past them, going to follow her queen's orders.  
  
Jojesh shot one last warning glare at the warrior and then began forward, leading the party towards Polis. Clarke's heels pressed lightly against her horse's sides, the animal barely needing the encouragement before it happily continued forward, and then looked out the corner of her eyes at the warrior. His head was turned, clearly eyeing the trees, grip tight on his reins.  
  
“ _Don't try it,_ ” she warned, her voice easily carrying over to him. The young man looked back, staring at her, and she lifted the bow she had been given. “ _If you try to run, then I'll have to see how well your bow fires. I am a good enough shot that I would hit you before you could make it to the trees. I don't really want to hurt you, but I will if I have to._ ” The young man's eyes flickered back to the trees, as though he were trying to decide whether he believed her or not, and then his shoulders slumped, clearly deciding it wouldn't be worth it to try.  
  
“Mochof,” Clarke told him, and then asked, “ _What is your name?_ ” He didn't answer, just stared ahead. “ _What clan are you from?_ ” she tried instead, but still he didn't speak. She waited a few moments, just to see whether or not he would speak up, and then she shrugged. “ _Fine, don't talk._ ” She hadn't liked talking either when she had been in his position, and subconsciously rubbed at her wrists, feeling the smooth scars that had formed after days of rough treatment from both rope and shackles.  
  
Having never been to Polis before, Clarke didn't know how much longer they had to go before reaching the city, but she could practically feel it buzzing inside her as they got closer. It seemed like with every step her horse took, her heart began to beat harder, its pace quickening until it was all but racing against her ribcage. Nerves tumbled around her gut in the best possible way, her mouth going dry, and she knew the feelings had nothing to do with the new city and everything to do with the Commander waiting for her there.  
  
Finally a well-traveled road formed before them, hoof prints and obvious wheel marks marring the dirt, and then they turned a corner and a number of Trikru warriors seemed to be waiting for them. None of them were any Clarke knew by name, but they obviously all knew her, all bowing their head respectfully as soon as they saw her. Seeing that they were once again safe, Jojesh pulled back, falling behind his queen, and Clarke and her mount led the way up to them.  
  
“Wanheda,” one of the warriors called, his head still low even as he stepped forward. Finally looking up at her, he nodded towards a sign, messy writing scrawled across it. “ _Your people must leave their weapons here. You are allowed to take whatever you need, and you may choose up to two of your guards to also keep their weapons, but other than that nothing but knives are allowed past this point. Heda's orders for all clans._ ”  
  
“ _Joujesh will keep his weapons,_ ” Clarke agreed, nodding to the man. Eyes flickering back over her people, she continued, “ _The rest of my warriors will leave their weapons here._ ” One by one they all handed over their weapons, Ontari looking like she wanted to kill the man who took her sword from her and then Clarke immediately after. She could see Nygel's grip on her spear tighten before she made herself loosen it, handing it over with the quiet warning, “ _It had better be here in the same condition when I get back, or else._ ” Reese looked wounded when she handed over her sword, a weapon she had only been carrying around for a little over a month, and Callie patted her lightly on the back to comfort her before she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin back up.  
  
“ _Very good,_ ” the same warrior said once they had all handed over their weapons, looking curiously for a moment at the young man still sitting silently beside her before he turned his attention back to the blonde. “ _Now if you will follow me, I'll take you to our city._ ” Clarke simply nodded, afraid that if she tried to speak nothing would come out. Her pulse raced, her mind nearly going blank as she urged her horse forward, quickly following the warrior. In just a few minutes, she would finally see Lexa again. 

***

Numerous times as Lexa strolled through the busy streets of Polis people stopped her to ask about the Skaikru. The first to do so was her favorite candle maker, the old man's worried expression immediately smoothing out as she assured him they were there under her invitation. The next was a tradesmen from the Broadleaf Clan, an elder who continued to look concerned even as he walked away, no doubt to spread the word among those who had traveled with him. A set of warriors, a woman from the Blue Cliff Clan and a man from the Shallow Valley Clan, approached her at the same time, and neither of them seemed happy about it as Lexa walked away after delivering the news. As always she could feel eyes on her as she moved, but beneath those stares she felt barely controlled ripples of fear and suspicion, two of the most dangerous weapons anyone could wield against her.  
  
“Heda,” she heard, and turned to see the leader of the Desert Clan standing only a few feet away, clearly checking out some of the merchants' wares at the stalls lining up the sides of the street. “Haihefa Hektar,” she called back, altering her course and moving over to him. The king lowered his head, the standard greeting, and Lexa returned it. Looking towards the stalls he stood in front of, she gave the merchants behind them a small smile, even as she asked him, “ _Are you finding what you are looking for?_ ”  
  
“ _I am finding plenty, though I'm not looking for anything,_ ” he replied easily, also giving a small smile to those trying to sell their goods. “ _In your city there is something to look at everywhere I turn._ ”  
  
“ _Poulis is special that way,_ ” Lexa agreed, the pride she felt for her city and her people coloring her tone. “ _I still find new things to look at every day._ ”  
  
“Sha,” the king said, nodding once again as he looked around at the people wandering through the streets. Lexa followed his gaze, seeing the mixture of people walking around, and couldn't help but agree as he added, “ _It seems as though your city has something interesting for everyone. Your people will do well over the next couple of weeks. All of our tradesmen will._ ”  
  
About to tell him she expected many good things to come from the next few weeks, Lexa's attention was suddenly pulled away as people walking down the street started rushing to the sides, many even turning down side streets simply to get away. Those who remained hung back, pressing up close to the stalls but looking nowhere but at the party approaching, and when the Commander followed their gazes she felt the air get knocked from her lungs. There, riding towards her on a great black horse, her back straight and hair falling messily over her shoulders, sat Clarke, and Lexa's heartbeat instantly quickened. For a moment she could see nothing but the blonde, could focus on nothing but the way her palms began to tingle, the urge to reach out and draw the other girl close to her after being apart for so long building at her fingertips and then shooting through the rest of her. Her breath seemed stuck in her chest and suddenly Lexa felt almost light-headed. After going so long without her, now just the sight of her love managed to knock all sense and reason right out of her.  
  
The great black beast continued forward, carrying the blonde closer and closer to her, and finally Lexa managed to force her gaze away from the single young woman, eyes flickering over to the companions around her, and the moment they did she froze again, expression hardening and heart now thudding in her chest for a very different reason. She recognized all of the warriors around and behind her love, and while she couldn't say she was exactly happy to see all of them, there was one in particular who demanded her attention.  
  
“ _King Hektar,_ ” she called, voice clipped and easily loud enough to be heard by those riding towards them. She felt the man standing beside her shift, saw the clench of his jaw before he could control his expression, muscles smoothing out as though the hint of annoyance had never broken free. “ _Why is your son riding with the Ice Queen?_ ” When the king made no move to answer, she turned to the young man riding beside Clarke, giving him a cold stare as he met her eyes. “ _Prince Init._ ” The king's youngest son said nothing, but she saw the flash of fear spark in his eyes, noticed the way the skin of his throat shifted as he tried to swallow down his fear. The rage she felt burned from her chest outward, her fingers itching for her sword; just looking at the prince, she knew _exactly_ why he was riding with them, and she wanted nothing more than to show them both just how far they had crossed the line.  
  
Before she could do anything however, Clarke saved them.  
  
“ _Prince Init met us and asked to lead us to Poulis,_ ” she told them all, the lie clearly catching both the prince and his father off guard, their eyes darting to her and then away again. The blonde didn't look at either of them, instead just meeting Lexa's fierce gaze, her expression carefully constructed, but the brunette could see something in the slight rise of her brow, as though she were asking her to go with it. Eyes flickering from the brunette's, Clarke looked over the man standing beside her and added, “ _Thank you, King Hektar: I'm sure it was your idea to send your son to meet us. I'm glad I was able to meet you both so soon. It is nice to have a few more familiar faces around. I won't forget either of you._ ” Hektar hesitated a second and then nodded, still clearly trying to read this young woman they all knew he'd sent his son to kill.  
  
“Bants. Nou,” Lexa demanded, her tone controlled but barely. If Clarke wanted to ignore this for the moment she could try, but not with either of these traitorous men within sword's reach. She didn't look at the king, forced her hands to remain down at her sides as he quickly nodded, muttering a quick, “Sha Heda,” and then quickly walked away, his son urging his horse to follow. The blonde watched them go while the Commander didn't look away from her, and only when they had turned down some side street and moved out of sight did Clarke finally shift her focus back to the brunette. Expression softening, Lexa read dozens of emotions dart across the queen's face as she met green eyes, her lips pulling up into the smallest of smiles.  
  
Without another word Clarke shifted in her saddle, throwing a leg over her horse's back and dropping quickly to the ground. A number of people followed just behind her, but Lexa couldn't focus on any of them, her mind zeroing in only on the blonde and what she had just allowed the Sankru to get away with as she stepped forward.  
  
“Clarke,” she began, her voice quiet, the warning already coloring it, but then blue eyes met hers again and she cut herself off. “Later,” Clarke murmured, voice so quiet that even Lexa barely heard it. The brunette wanted to argue, wanted to run down the father and son who had chosen to put the blonde in danger, but with the other girl's eyes on her, her expression clearly asking that they drop it for the moment, Lexa could do nothing but let it go. Just a second later, and Lexa knew she had no choice but to let the conversation drop for the time being, her attention suddenly pulled away even from the young woman in front of her.  
  
“Heda!” two voices echoed, and Lexa felt the corners of her lips pull up far higher than she often let them. She watched as two little bodies burst forth from the Azgeda party, one stopping just short of her and bowing her head respectfully while the second simply kept going until his arms were wrapped around her thigh, clinging tightly to her as though he'd been afraid he would never see her again. Lexa smiled, unable to help the automatic response even with so many people watching, and pulled Thom away just long enough so that she could kneel down, immediately wrapping an arm around him in return. She looked past him, meeting Reese's eyes, and held out her other arm, silently inviting her forward. The little girl's grin grew, and then she darted forward, wrapping her arms around the Commander's shoulders.  
  
“Hello to you both,” Lexa told them quietly, returning their tight holds, feeling them both bury their faces against her shoulders. “I missed you as well.”  
  
“We missed you, Heda,” Thom mumbled against her, the words barely audible. She felt Reese nod, the girl's arms tightening around her momentarily, before she pulled back. “I've been training every day, Heda. Clarke even gave me my own sword, so now I'm really a Second!” She thought she saw Thom roll his eyes at the girl, but Lexa's smile just grew.  
  
“I am sure you are a wonderful Second, Reese,” she agreed, squeezing her shoulder. “Anyone would be lucky to have you.” The girl beamed under the praise while Thom just gave her a look, and Lexa's grip around his shoulders tightened too. “I'm sure anyone would be lucky to have either of you at their side,” she added, and he beamed up at her, grinning at the praise.  
  
Clarke watched the two children wrap around Lexa, equal parts happy for them and envious at the same time. She knew how much they had both missed the Commander, but couldn't help but wish that she could be doing the same thing. At the moment she could feel countless eyes on her, all judging and waiting to decide what they thought of the newest Ice Queen, so she held back, her shoulders squared and spine straight. At the moment she didn't know what others knew about her and the Commander, and decided that the middle of the street wasn't the proper place to broadcast the relationship. Instead she turned back to her own people as they dismounted and moved towards her, Jojesh her constant shadow behind her while the other warriors ranged out, some focusing on the horses, others looking towards the wagons. She turned to see Niylah walking towards her, Sef in her arms, and saw his grandparents both fiddling with the wagons.  
  
“Here, Ubroukai,” the young tradeswoman said to her, carefully handing the toddler over. Clarke noticed the way the other girl's eyes shifted away, the corners of her mouth tilting up just a little when their fingers momentarily brushed. “Kila said she thought you would like to take him.”  
  
“Mochof, Naila,” Clarke replied, flashing the other woman a smile as she accepted the toddler, Sef wriggling happily in her arms as she shifted him against her side. Niylah returned her smile and then turned around, moving back over to the wagons, and Clarke bounced the toddler up and down a few times, his cries of delight causing her smile to grow. When she turned back towards Lexa, she found the Commander once again on her feet, her hands hanging loosely at her side and expression almost soft as she watched the blonde. Thom and Reese stood beside her, both staring at everything around them and trying to take it all in, something that Clarke herself had had a hard time not doing as they rode into this great city the likes of which she had never seen before.  
  
“Let me take you to where you will all be staying,” Lexa called out, her voice carrying over the entire party but eyes only on the queen. Clarke nodded, smile still entirely present, and it only grew when she saw Lexa return it. The Commander turned, waiting for just a moment, and Clarke moved up beside her, Thom and Reese the only other ones already by the brunette, and then they began making their way down the streets further into the heart of the city, Clarke looking back momentarily to her people and motioning for them to follow.  
  
Thom and Reese drove the conversation as they walked, asking the Commander questions about almost everything they passed. Clarke and Lexa remained silent except to answer the questions, both feeling the anxious butterflies multiplying within their guts. Every now and then one would look over at the other only to find eyes already turned to them, and lips would flash momentarily in a shy smile. Each had so many things they wanted to say, but after months of being separated none of those things were feelings they wished to share in public, and so they settled with their stolen glances as they walked the streets of Polis.  
  
Finally Lexa stopped them in front of a tall building at least three stories high, and turned towards the queen. “I have had this building cleared out for your people,” she informed her, meeting blue eyes that she knew she could easily drown in if she allowed herself to stare into them for too long. “There should be plenty of room inside for everyone, and your wagons and goods should be safe out here. There are stables not far away where you may take your horses, or places right outside where you can settle them, if you would prefer.”  
  
Clarke's eyes trailed up the large building, taking in it and the space around it as she replied quietly, “Thank you, Commander.” Turning back to her people, she nodded to the building, telling them, “ _Everyone get settled; this is where we will be staying for the next few weeks._ ” They all scanned the building before moving to the wagons and collecting their own things so they could get themselves situated for the next several days. A few hung back by the wagons, doing a final sweep over the goods still tied down securely within them, while others moved right over to the building, ready to get comfortable in their temporary home. As she passed by, Lexa met Ontari's glare, her chin tilting up higher and facial muscles smoothing out, and she allowed her gaze to follow the younger girl, breaking away only when Roan passed her, the larger warrior's expression much more relaxed but still one she didn't trust as he too moved into the building. When Callie and Nygel passed, both smiling in one way or another to her, Lexa felt herself relax just slightly, returning their smiles with a small one of her own.  
  
As those around them moved, Lexa turned back to Clarke. “Your mother would like to see you,” she informed her quietly, eyes still tracking those moving around them. “I told her I would let her know once you arrived.” She noticed Clarke's eyes widen just a little, eyebrows tilting up in surprise, before the blonde asked, “She's here?” When Lexa nodded, she felt the other girl study her for just a moment, before she suddenly turned away. Scanning her people quickly, Clarke found who she was looking for almost immediately, and moved over to the older woman still going through some of the goods in the back of the first wagon.  
  
“Kaila,” she said, flashing a smile to the older woman as she turned to her queen. She shifted Sef in her arms, holding the little boy out to her as she said, “ _I have to go with the Commander for a little while. Will you watch Sef?_ ” She saw the grandmother's eyes flash over to the brunette and then back at her, the corners of her lips twitching up and eyes dancing as she took the boy in her arms. “Sha, Ubroukai,” she answered, a playful hitch in her tone. “ _Go, I will take care of little Sef._ ”  
  
“Mochof,” Clarke told her, giving her a smile, and then quickly made her way back over to where Lexa stood, Reese and Thom still by her side. Looking down at them, she said, “Why don't you two get your things and make yourselves comfortable inside? We've traveled a long way, and I'm sure you could both use a rest.”  
  
“We don't need a _nap_ ,” Reese growled, rolling her eyes, and Thom nodded, clearly in agreement. Clarke nearly let out a sigh before she knelt down, a hand resting on each of their shoulders. “I need to go with Heda right now. My mom is here, and we have to talk about some things. I don't want you two to be bored, so why don't you stay here and Heda and I will be back later. Okay?” Reese hesitated, not wanting to be left out and not wanting to leave Heda, but the idea of spending time with the Chancellor grated on her nerves. Finally she nodded, giving in, and a moment later Thom nodded too, letting out an exasperated sigh as he did so. Clarke grinned at them both, squeezing her grip on their shoulders, before she stood up. “Thanks,” she told them, and then nodded behind her. “Listen to Callie and Nygel until I get back, okay? And stay out of trouble, please.” Almost at the same time they rolled their eyes, Thom grinning and Reese raising her eyebrows, as though to ask when did they ever get in trouble?, and Clarke just smiled back at them. Lexa smiled as well, at the two children as well as the blonde, and then nodded back towards the street.  
  
“This way,” she said, leading Clarke back, and with a quick word to Callie before she passed by, telling her where she would be, the blonde followed the Commander back into the busy street. To neither of their surprise Jojesh moved with them, the big man saying nothing as he followed his queen, and other than a smile from Clarke and a clenched jaw from Lexa, they ignored him.  
  
“You had a safe journey?” Lexa asked as they walked through the streets, countless people stopping to stare at them as they passed. Clenching her hands together behind her back, she managed to keep her voice controlled as she added, “Up until Prince Enit joined you.”  
  
“We did, yeah,” Clarke replied, arms swinging slightly at her side as she moved. Her fingertips itched to reach out and brush against the brunette's arm; to keep them from doing so she continually curled and uncurled them into fists. Gaze glancing around, always somehow managing to draw back to the Commander beside her, she told her, “It was a pretty easy trip, just a little long.” Lexa nodded, very much aware of how much time it took to travel from Keerie to Polis, but didn't say anything in return. A silence hung between them, not exactly awkward but not entirely pleasant either, each feeling a buzz of energy between them. Both wanted to reach out, to break through this tiny bit of distance that continued to keep them apart after so much time away from each other, but they both knew they couldn't yet. So they walked, closer together than necessary but with far too much space between them for either to be happy about it, and allowed the silence to grow until Lexa couldn't take it anymore.  
  
“What do you think of Polis?” she asked, looking once again over at the blonde only to find her attention elsewhere, eyes darting around in an attempt to take it all in.  
  
“It's... amazing,” Clarke breathed, absolute awe in her tone, eyes wide and mouth hung open just slightly. Lexa couldn't fight her smile; the other girl's adoration of the city was the greatest compliment she thought it could ever receive. “I knew you would love it,” she murmured, voice softening as easily as her expression did. Clarke looked back over at her, finding green eyes on her and that beautiful smile she loved so much tugging at the Commander's lips, and suddenly she knew that Polis was only the second most amazing thing she had ever seen. “I will show you more of it later, if you would like,” Lexa continued, not looking away. Voice lowering even further, she said, “I have wanted to show you my city for a long time.”  
  
“I'd like that,” Clarke replied, voice nearly as soft. She knew that if Lexa kept looking at her like that, like she had whispered the sun and stars into being and personally created the beauty of a rain storm, she wouldn't be able to look anywhere but at the brunette, but for some reason she didn't have a problem with that. Her reply only made Lexa's smile grow, clearly genuinely excited to be able to show Clarke around, and the blonde felt her stomach do a somersault while her heart fought madly to escape her ribcage. Momentarily forgetting about anything except for the one she loved standing so close, she reached out, needing nothing in the moment except to feel Lexa's fingers slip between her own.  
  
“Clarke!” they heard, and the moment shattered, the noises of the city once again breaking through to them. The Ice Queen let her hand fall back down from the few inches it had moved, and turned to find her mother jogging quickly towards her. Before she could entirely process it, Abby's arms pulled her against her chest, and she closed her eyes, briefly sinking against her mother.  
  
“Mom,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around her mother and returning the hug, an ache she hadn't realized she'd been feeling settling inside her. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her mother until that moment, and subconsciously tightened her grip, the Chancellor quickly returning the pressure. They stayed together for just a moment, before Clarke pulled back, looking up at her mother's face as she asked, “What are you doing here?”  
  
“The Commander invited us,” Abby informed her, nodding over to where Lexa still stood, watching mother and daughter reunite. Kane, who had followed Abby when the woman had seen the two approaching, smiled widely at the brunette. “We are honored to be here,” he added, still unable to take in the sheer magnitude of the city around them. Turning to mother and daughter, the two now having pulled apart but with Abby's arm still curled around the blonde's shoulders, he told Clarke, “When the Commander invited us, we knew we had to jump at the opportunity to meet the leaders of all twelve clans, as well as the chance to see this incredible city.” Looking behind the blonde, he found a large warrior standing there, silently watching them, and grinned at him. “Hei,” he said to the man, reaching his arm out in greeting. “Ai laik Markus kom Skaikru.” The man didn't reach out to return the greeting, eyes dropping momentarily to the offered arm before returning to his face.  
  
“Kane, this is Jojesh,” Clarke informed him, grinning slightly at the awkward introduction. “He's one of my warriors, and decided a long time ago he would be my bodyguard.” Jojesh still said nothing, simply watching and clearly on the lookout for any danger that might befall his queen.  
  
When the warrior said nothing, a short silence falling on them, Lexa cut in smoothly, “It is my pleasure to have you here.” Gaze sweeping over each of them, Clarke thought she saw something flash across the Commander's eyes as she added, “In fact, I would be honored if the three of you would join me for dinner. There is something I wish to discuss with you.”  
  
Clarke saw the surprise and slight confusion flash across her mother's face, not quite suspicious but certainly unsure, even as she nodded. Kane just continued smiling. “Of course,” he said, “We would love to join you.” Clarke followed his gaze as he looked back in the direction they had come from, and found a few guards milling about around a couple of buildings. He made eye contact with Sergeant Miller, the blonde recognizing him after a second, and nodded. The man returned the nod, apparently all that was needed, and then Kane turned back, smiling once again at the Commander.  
  
Seeing that they were ready, Lexa turned around, gesturing for them to follow her, and began making her way back to the center of Polis. As they walked, she heard Abby questioning Clarke behind her, asking her about her trip and Keerie and the past three months, and though the blonde answered, Lexa could feel her studying her. She could tell Clarke knew this would be more than just a dinner, knew she was planning something, but clearly didn't know what. The Commander didn't give her any clues, remaining quiet as the group walked, but inside she could feel her nerves start buzzing once again. For the first time she was about to truly lay out her plans for the next few weeks and what would then lead into a permanent change for everyone, and she had no idea how those behind her would take it.  
  
When they reached Polis Tower, Lexa heard the gasps behind her, waiting for just a moment to allow each to try to soak it in, and then led the way inside. They were lucky; the elevator waited for them, its doors hung open here on the first floor, meaning they wouldn't have to wait for it to travel back from whichever floor its last destination had left it on. The party stepped inside, the doors closing behind them, and a moment later it started moving, the Skaikru and queen's eyes widening while she noticed Jojesh stiffen, clearly not used to spaces that moved.  
  
“Amazing,” Marcus breathed, and Lexa's lips twitched, once again proud of her city for bringing out such awe in those that visited it.  
  
“This is Polis Tower,” she informed them as the elevator continued to carry them up and up and up. “This is where we will be holding the council meetings throughout the next few weeks. There are also rooms here that I have given to the leaders of each of the clans.” The elevator stopped suddenly and Lexa stepped forward, the doors opening before her, and led the way out into a long hallway. A warrior stood by the elevator door, his head lowering to her in a respectful bow, and she passed him, returning the nod. The rest of the party followed her down the hallway until she stopped at a door, and then she turned to Clarke.  
  
“This is your room, if you would like it,” she informed her quietly, and she watched as the blonde's eyes widened, shock briefly tugging at her forehead. A second later Clarke reached out, pushing the door open, and she led the way into the room, breath getting caught in her chest the moment she stepped inside.  
  
When she became the Ice Queen, Clarke had thought the room she had been given in Keerie was big; it was nothing compared to this one. A bed stood out against one wall, soft looking sheets and furs covering it, pillows arranged all along one end. Faded curtains hung in front of a few windows, broken glass still standing in one or two while the others had simply become designed holes in the wall. The evening sun beat through them, beams of light filtering through the thin curtains and coloring the room with the hard yellows and soft oranges of the setting sun. Candle sconces littered the room, some mounted along the walls, others hanging from the ceiling while still more candles flicked along tables, all already lit and adding to the light in the room. A couple of large chairs had been arranged in the open space across from the bed, a small table placed in front of one, and a rickety looking easel stood in the corner, paper already set up on it and charcoal sitting on the tiny table beside it, waiting to be used.  
  
“Lexa,” Clarke breathed, still trying to take in the room. “This is beautiful. Yes, of course I like it.”  
  
Lexa smiled, taking yet more pride in the way the blonde looked around the room. It wouldn't do to admit it, but she hadn't taken nearly as much interest in the set up of the rooms for the other clans leaders as she had in this one. Seeing Clarke's face now, she was glad she had.  
  
Forcing herself to move past the room and Clarke's obvious awe of it, the Commander's shoulders straightened, thinking once again of what she had brought them all there to discuss. Eyes flickering to Jojesh, the warrior still standing close to his queen, she lifted her chin. “ _Wait outside,_ ” she ordered, not needing him to hear what she had to say or wanting him around any longer. Even after months and seeing Clarke's obvious trust in him, she still could barely stand looking at the warrior without thinking about all he had done. He hesitated only briefly, eyes flashing back to his queen, but at the tilt of Clarke's head he nodded.  
  
“Sha Heda,” he replied, voice deep, and then moved back into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. Lexa watched him go, and then turned back to the queen, finding blue eyes piercing into her from beneath a raised brow.  
  
“Alright Lexa, spill,” she told her, taking a step closer to the Commander. “What did you want to talk to us about? Why did you invite the Skaikru to Polis?” Marcus and Abby also looked at her, clearly curious, and the brunette's hands slid behind her back, one circling the opposite wrist. She waited a moment, steeling herself in preparation for the reaction, and then said simply, “I want to make Skaikru the thirteenth clan. I want you to join the coalition.”  
  
Clearly, none of them had been expecting that to come out of her mouth.  
  
“Wait, you want what?” the Chancellor asked, eyes widening in complete shock. “I don't... That's a big proposition,” Kane stammered, clearly trying to find words around his surprise. Clarke just stared at her, brow furrowed, before she started to shake her head.  
  
“The other clan leaders will be furious,” she said, stating the single fact Lexa knew all too well. “You've said it yourself, it's already going to be a challenge to get them to accept me as the Ice Queen, you want to force them to accept Skaikru as one of them at the same time? There's no way we could do it without breaking the coalition apart.”  
  
“I'm sorry, but who says we even want to be part of the coalition?” Abby asked, arms crossing in front of her. She looked from her daughter to the brunette, meeting green eyes and a clenched jaw. “I don't mean any offense Commander, but we're our own people. We have our own laws, our own way of life. I can't go back to Arkadia and tell everyone there that we just decided to become Grounders. Our society doesn't work like that.”  
  
“If you became the thirteenth clan, you would be treated just as each of the other clans are treated,” Lexa informed her, lifting her head a little higher, chin jutting out stubbornly. “You would keep your traditions, your way of life, as well as your laws. You would still be the leader of your people, Chancellor, but you would follow my word and be expected to follow the laws of the coalition. Unless those laws were broken, I would not have have to step in.”  
  
“I've seen how you punish your people when one of your laws is broken,” Abby replied, her tone a little clipped, almost rough. “Why should I make a choice that could put any of my people in that kind of danger?”  
  
“Why do you want this so bad, Lexa?” Clarke asked, her voice soft, far softer than her mother's had been. She knew her mother must see this simply as a way for the Grounders to gain control of the Arkers, but Clarke could tell it was more than that. She could see the near-panic hidden in green eyes, pushed down so far that it was invisible to anyone who didn't know the brunette well. Clarke knew her though, could read the tilt of her head, the clench of her jaw, and knew that Lexa felt this needed to happen because of something far more important than just power.  
  
Lexa looked at Clarke, felt blue eyes scanning hers, hoping to read whatever it was she was trying not to say. Her grip on her wrist tightened, fingernails biting into her skin, before she told her quietly, “This must happen Clarke, so that I never have to order you to send warriors to kill your mother.”  
  
That stopped all three of them in their tracks, Abby's eyes widening so much Lexa thought her eyebrows might get lost in her hairline. Marcus stiffened before he frowned, brow furrowing, and then slowly made his way over to the side of the room, rubbing thoughtfully at the shaggy hair along his chin. Clarke just stared at her, mouth hanging slightly open, and it was her Lexa couldn't look away from.  
  
“When people are not united, wars break out,” she continued, her voice low but sure. “I have seen it, over and over again. It does not matter how hard they try, peace always breaks, and fighting always takes over in its place. It is human nature. We can try to keep the peace up between Skaikru and the coalition, but someday that peace will end. Someone will do something, and the fighting will start. When that happens, when Skaikru becomes a threat to my people, I will have to call on the warriors of the twelve clans to unite together to wipe out our enemy. It is what I would do to any other threat against any of my people, and it is what I will have to do then. When it does, I will be ordering you to send your warriors to destroy the people you love, perhaps will even have to order you to fight.” She shook her head, eyes closing for just a moment before they opened again, finding blue still staring back at her. “I do not want to have to do that,” she murmured, “And this is the only way I can think to prevent it. Skaikru must become the thirteenth clan.”  
  
Clarke's mouth opened, as though to say something, and then just closed again, clearly still trying to process everything the other girl had just said. “Lexa...” she finally managed to get out, heart aching at the pain she could see flashing across the brunette's eyes at just the thought of having to give those orders. They stared at each other for a moment, as though a silent conversation flew between them, and then the blonde nodded. “She's right,” she finally said, turning to her mother. When the Chancellor looked at her, Clarke just raised her head a little higher, meeting the look. “It's dumb to think that nothing will ever happen to break the peace that's between us now. Eventually somebody will do something, and it'll end. Yeah, the Grounders' ways might be harsh, but if we establish this alliance now, then there's a better chance that the punishment will come down on the one person and not everyone. If you don't agree to this, then you're basically saying you're ready for another war down the line, and we all know you're not.”  
  
“'You,'” Abby quoted, her resolve dropping for just a moment, voice somber. “You keep saying 'you.'” For just a second Clarke's face fell, and Lexa wondered if she had even noticed she had separated herself from her old life as she spoke, but then she nodded. “I'm the Ice Queen now, Mom; that means doing whatever is best for my people. It also means I follow Lexa. I love you, but I'm not an Arker anymore.”  
  
Abby's gaze shifted away, clearly not happy with it, but already knowing there was nothing she could do about it. She hated having her daughter so far away, hated that there was now this divide between them, but couldn't help think that maybe this was a solution towards it. Before she let herself think too much on it, however, she looked over at Marcus, standing silently at one of the windows. “What do you think, Marcus?”  
  
Kane stared out the window, watching the dozens and dozens of dots moving around below, but not really seeing them. Instead he saw all of it, the city and the bigger picture it was all apart of, and wondered if they could really be apart of it too.  
  
“I think,” he began, speaking slowly, trying to process through his thoughts even as he spoke. “I think they both have a point. Clarke's right, we are by no means ready to survive another war, and wouldn't be ready for many years. If the Commander rallied all of her warriors together, we would be wiped out in no time.” His eyes flickered over to the young woman he respected more and more each time he interacted with her, finding her still in the same spot. Her hands were still clasped behind her back, expression remaining carefully blank, even as they talked about such an important decision. “Forgive me, but I do think you're wrong about one thing, Commander,” he added, and saw her eyebrows lift ever so slightly before she nodded, indicating he should continue. “It isn't human nature to fight and start wars: it's human nature to survive.” She nodded again, brow quirking just a bit before her expression smoothed back out, but he was no longer focused on her. Instead he stared off, his own brow furrowing as his mind turned over everything that had happened to get them here, to this moment right now and this conversation. “Everyone in this room has made a decision that still haunts them,” he murmured, eyes squeezing shut as images flashed through his mind's eye of the decision he had made that still often woke him up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Eyes opening again, they swept over the three women, noticing the way mother and daughter's fists both clenched down by their sides, the Commander still meeting his gaze calmly, as though the words hadn't gotten to her, except that he noticed the barest of twitches along her lips. “Each one of those decisions we made for the good of our people.” Meeting Abby's eyes now, his own fists clenched even as his expression softened, stepping towards her. Closing the space between them, his hand fell to her elbow, gripping it lightly as he asked, “How can we not at least try to do this, if there's even a chance it could mean peace, real, lasting peace, for everyone we love?”  
  
The woman met his stare, scanning his face, before her hand fell to his. Giving it a slight squeeze, she nodded. “You're right,” she said, and then looked at all three of them. “All of you, you're right. We have to try this, even if it isn't likely to go over well with anyone else. It's our only choice.”  
  
If she hadn't had years of training in controlling her expression, Lexa would have grinned. As it was, she had to fight to keep her eyes from widening, even as she felt relief in her success flood through her system. She knew this was only the first step, the first intricate thread woven for a web that in the end would need to span across each clan, but it was a start. She had managed to get the Skaikru leaders on board with what she knew was a nearly impossible plan; she would face everything else that fell down around her as it came to her, and for once she wouldn't have to do so alone.  
  
“Then it is agreed: Skaikru will become the thirteenth clan and join the coalition,” she stated, the words tasting like success and impossibility at the same time. “Tomorrow the remaining clan leaders should arrive, and the following day will officially begin the ceremonies. That morning all of the clan leaders will gather for a council meeting, and it is there that I will make the announcement.” Glancing at the two Skaikru leaders, she told them, “I do not want this getting out before then. I realize your people need to know about this, but it would be better not to tell them all.”  
  
“We'll only tell those we can trust to keep the secret,” Marcus agreed. “I think you're right, it's better not to let this out until there's no going back.”  
  
“Once it's out though, someone will have to go back to Arkadia,” Abby said, crossing her arms in front of her, clearly trying to think through every problem this could create. “We can't be gone for weeks and then just show up and announce that we decided to join with the Grounders.”  
  
“You're right,” Marcus agreed, brow pulling down as he once again began stroking his beard. “That wouldn't go over well at all. I'm not sure how much of this is going to go over well, but better to tell everyone sooner rather than later, I suppose. Or, not too soon, but...” He trailed off, clearly getting lost in thought, and Lexa saw the Chancellor look first to him and then to her.  
  
“Commander, would you mind if we took a rain check on dinner tonight?” she asked, expression completely straight as Lexa's furrowed in slight confusion. “We have a lot that we need to talk about.”  
  
Glancing out the window, the young leader found the evening sun still beating down, the colors only more vibrant as the day fought desperately against the approaching night. “It... has not rained in quite some time, Chancellor,” she tried, entirely confused what the weather had to do with dinner. She saw Clarke's lips quirk into a smile before telling her quickly, “It's just an expression, Lexa. She wants to know if we can all have dinner together another night, so that they can go figure out what all this means for the Sky People.” Lexa's eyebrows lifted briefly in understanding before settling once again into her cool mask, and she simply nodded.  
  
“Yes,” she agreed, arms still pulled behind her back. “Go and talk, and we can have dinner tomorrow night. I can tell you what to expect at the council meeting and make sure you are familiar with our laws and what it will mean to become the thirteenth clan.”  
  
“Mochof, Heda,” Marcus said, giving her a smile as he respectfully bowed his head to her. Abby nodded before giving a small tilt of her head as well, saying, “Yes, mochof, Commander.” She glanced over at her daughter, clearly not wanting to part from her so soon, but then let out a small sigh. “I'll see you both tomorrow.”  
  
“I'll come by in the morning, Mom,” the blonde promised, clearly understanding her mother's hesitancy. “Maybe we can explore the city together a little.” Abby's smile grew, an obvious excitement shining in her eyes. “I'd like that. I've missed you, Clarke.” They moved towards each other, pulling each other into a quick hug, and Lexa heard the younger girl murmur a soft, “I missed you too, Mom.”  
  
When they parted, the Chancellor and Marcus moved towards the door, about to exit the room, when Lexa suddenly remembered something. “Chancellor,” she called, stopping them, and saw the woman turn back to her. “As the leader of the Sky People, I had a room prepared here for you as well,” she informed her, the older woman's eyes widening in slight surprise. “You do not have to stay in it, but you are welcome to. If you wish.”  
  
Abby hesitated a second, wanting to be closer to Clarke, but then shook her head. “I think I'll stay with my people,” she replied, feeling Marcus shift slightly beside her. “But thank you, Commander.” Lexa nodded, and then the two continued on, pulling the door open and exiting the room. Kane closed the door behind them, and for the first time in over three months, Clarke and Lexa were finally alone together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. That's all I have to say. The response to the prologue and first chapter was amazing and I've pretty much been left speechless. You are all amazing, and you have no idea how much it thrills me to see how excited everyone is about this sequel! I really hope that I can do justice with this story, and give you all something that has been worth waiting for. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Mochof" - "Thank you"  
> "Heihefa" - "King" (Desert Clan)  
> "Bants. Nou." - "Go. Now."  
> "Ai laik Markus kom Skaikru" - "I am Marcus of the Spy People"


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is rated M for a reason, friends, and this chapter is the first such reason! ;)

Silence rang out as the door closed, the only movement in the room coming from the flickering candle light. For a long moment neither of the two young women said anything, the butterflies in their stomachs racing around in a crazed frenzy now that they were alone together. Each had spent months waiting for this moment, but now that it had come neither knew how to talk past the nerves fizzling beneath their skin. Finally Clarke shifted, needing to break the silence.  
  
“How long have you been planning this?” she asked, and felt her stomach do a flip-flop the moment Lexa's eyes met hers. The Commander gave a little shrug, shoulders barely moving, hands still clasped behind her back.  
  
“Awhile,” she admitted, tongue heavy in her mouth, the word having to fight its way out. “I knew shortly after you became queen that I had to think of a way to prevent the possibility of another war starting between Grounders and Skaikru. This seemed to be the only option.”  
  
“Who knows about it?” the blonde wanted to know, body shifting, feet subconsciously taking a step towards Lexa. The brunette didn't look away, continued to stare into blue eyes as she answered, “No one. There were a few I had to tell I invited the Sky People here for the celebrations, but no one else knows why. It was safer to keep it to myself.”  
  
“Taigon doesn't even know?” Clarke asked, clearly surprised, and Lexa shook her head. “My brother is not a leader; I prefer to keep him out of politics as much as possible. It is already difficult for him, being the brother to the Commander. I do not like to put anymore pressure on him than there already is.” Lexa watched as Clarke's face softened, a smile tugging at her lips. “Of course you don't,” she heard the blonde murmur, eyes shining, and then as though someone had flipped a switch, everything seemed to melt away and Clarke closed the distance between them, finally wrapping her arms around the brunette like she'd been wanting to do ever since the moment she saw her in the streets of the city.  
  
As the younger woman's arms wrapped around her, the brunette closed her eyes, feeling all the stress of being Commander slip away, and then she was just Lexa, her hand releasing its grip around her wrist so that she could reach forward, slipping her arms around the blonde to mirror her hold. She felt Clarke's nose bump against her jaw before her face burrowed slightly into the crook of her shoulder, and her lips quirked up, inhaling that scent that could only ever be Clarke. All at once every nerve that had been fluttering around inside her stilled, her anxiousness falling away, an absolute sense of peace taking its place. The blonde's fingers tangled into the fabric along her back, gripping it tight as though to hold her closer, and she felt herself just sink further into her.  
  
“Lexa,” Clarke breathed, feeling everything in her world settle down for the first time in months. Ever since she had been named queen her mind had spent every minute racing, trying to come up with ways to convince the Ice Nation to accept her, attempting to contain every piece of knowledge thrown her way, be it customs, language, fighting skills, names, everything and anything that might make it all just a little bit easier. Even at night she never stopped thinking, simply dreaming about all she still had to do, so much so that she often woke up just as exhausted as she had been when she'd fallen asleep. Now, with Lexa's arms wrapped around her as though they may be the only thing keeping her from falling apart, her mind finally settled, quieting and emptying until the only thing left to think about was the very woman who had always remained somewhere in the back of her thoughts. “I missed you.”  
  
“I missed you as well, Clarke,” she felt Lexa murmur against her, her breath nearly tickling the blonde's ear. “More than I know how to express.” Clarke smiled, the corners of her lips simply pulling up further, and pressed her face deeper into the crook of the older girl's shoulder. She remained there for a second, the tip of her nose rubbing against the soft skin of Lexa's neck, until she felt the brunette shift, pulling back just enough to look at her.  
  
The moment there was enough space between them to do so, Lexa's eyes scanned across the blonde's face, searching her. “You are alright?” she asked, and Clarke could hear the worry in her voice as well as see it when it flashed across her face. “They didn't hurt you, did they? If Enit did, I swear I will-”  
  
“Lexa,” Clarke interrupted, eyes bright with amusement as one hand shot up, gently trapping the brunette's chin in her fingers, forcing her to meet her eyes. “I'm fine. I promise. Ontari got to Enit before he could fire.” She noticed the Commander's jaw clench, fury flashing in her eyes. “He should be dead, Clarke. I will kill him. Jus drein, jus daun.”  
  
“There was no blood, Lexa,” the blonde pointed out, lifting her eyebrows. “I'm not going to demand blood when it hasn't been spilled yet.”  
  
“The intention was clear,” Lexa argued, clearly not ready to back down from this particular argument. “The prince meant to kill you, and he was clearly there on his father's orders. I should kill them both.”  
  
Clarke shook her head, still not releasing the brunette's chin. “No,” she just said, not looking away from green eyes. “We don't need to start the ceremonies by killing the leader of one of the clans and his son.”  
  
“Clarke,” Lexa tried again, but the blonde cut her off.  
  
“Lexa, it's been three months since I've seen you,” she reminded her, as though the other girl could have possibly forgotten how much time had gone by. “Do we really need to argue about this the second we're finally alone?” The brunette opened her mouth, part of her wanting to continue arguing until Clarke saw her point and agreed with her, but when the blonde smirked she felt her mouth go dry, her argument fleeing from her mind. She felt the younger girl turn them before she started to slowly walk forward, carefully leading Lexa backwards. “Or could I maybe instead show you just how much I missed you, and how happy I am to be with you again? And how much I appreciate this room. Especially this bed.” At the last word, Lexa felt the back of her knees press up against something soft, and when Clarke's hands began to gently press against her she allowed herself to be led down, legs folding beneath her. Now sitting on the bed, her head tilted up and Clarke's fingers still holding her chin, Lexa felt herself begin to slowly burn from the inside out, this raging warmth having nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with the way the Ice Queen stared down at her, that little smirk still pulling at her lips. Finally, unable to string together even a simple response, the brunette just nodded.  
  
“Good,” Clarke murmured, leaning over until she felt her forehead press against Lexa's, the two still staring at each other. “I think this is a much better use of our time.”  
  
“Yes,” Lexa whispered, fingers digging into the blonde's shirt. “It is.” The next thing Clarke knew the Commander gave a swift tug, forcing her forward and ending the distance between them, her head tilting even higher so that she could capture Clarke's lips against her own.  
  
The moment their lips connected, both leaders groaned, their own worlds exploding and piecing back together as one all in the fragment of a second. Where before they had been two and separate, each feeling a little lost and looking for something, now they were one and connected, complete and whole in the way only the other girl could make them feel. Where they had been afraid of falling apart, now they both simply let go, knowing that the other would be there to put them back together again.  
  
Clarke's fingers found their way to Lexa's hair, tangling themselves around the long loose strands, careful as always of the tight braids woven along the top of her head. With the way they were positioned, Lexa couldn't easily do the same, so instead settled for tightening her grip on the blonde's shirt, pulling her forever closer. Soon Clarke lifted first one knee to the bed and then the other, allowing herself to climb atop Lexa's lap and Lexa held her against her, refusing to let go. Their lips danced together, faces tilting to just the right angle, just the right placement so that they could deepen the kiss ever farther. Noses bumped and brushed against cheeks, fingers held firm to whatever was in their grip, and eyes closed and remained closed, allowing their other senses to take over in the moment.  
  
With Clarke on her lap, Lexa allowed herself to release her grip on the blonde's shirt, her hands instead moving up so that she could cup the other girl's face, and as her thumbs brushed against her jaw, she felt the kiss naturally slow down. Clarke clearly felt it too, as a moment later she was shifting, lifting herself just enough to hover over Lexa again, their lips still connected. And then Lexa felt those lips curl into the smallest of smirks, and they lifted away, pulling just out of reach.  
  
Before she knew what was happening, Lexa heard herself let out the smallest of huffs. Opening her eyes, she looked up to find Clarke grinning down at her, a radiance the likes of which she'd never known before shining down on her. She couldn't help but stare, lips parting slightly in a mixture of awe and the need for air. She watched as Clarke leaned back down, her own breath catching in her throat at just the thought of those lips on hers once again, but instead they pressed against her cheek.  
  
“I missed you, Lexa,” Clarke whispered against her skin. “Every day. Every minute. I just missed you.” Her lips hovered over to her opposite cheek, leaving the most delicate of kisses there as well, and Lexa thought she felt her throat begin to close up. “I-” she tried to say, but the blonde immediately cut her off again.  
  
“Shh,” she murmured, breath ghosting against the brunette's skin. Again her eyebrows lifted, clearly amused, before she added softly, “You'll get your turn. Right now it's mine.” Breath hitching, Lexa could think of nothing to say, relatively sure that if she even could she would only be shushed again, and just watched wide-eyed as Clarke's small smile grew. The blonde came down again, pressing faint kisses all along her face and down her neck.  
  
“I've missed you,” she repeated, her lips tingling with the truth of her words and the feeling of Lexa's skin against them. “I swear the past three months just crawled by, but now I want to make up for them. I want you, Lexa. Ai gaf yu in. Ai hod yu in.” A noise escaped from the back of Lexa's throat, not a moan or a whimper but almost like a soft gasp for air. Those words, spoken in her own language and coming from Clarke's tongue, made her heart swell in her chest and the desire to show the blonde just how much they meant to her burned through her veins, her body shifting. Before she could so much as try to move or say anything in return however, Clarke simply continued on.  
  
“Every night when I would get into bed, I thought about you,” she informed her, lips beginning to trail down her neck, and Lexa felt her eyelids flutter as her heart beat erratically, thumping so loudly its rhythm seemed to fit between the blonde's words. “I wondered what you were doing, what you'd done that day. If you were okay, or if you'd gotten into some kind of trouble. Every night I wished you were next to me, holding me, kissing me. Touching me.”  
  
So lost in Clarke's words, Lexa hadn't noticed when one of the other girl's hands left her hair, but now she felt it as fingers skimmed gently across her collar bone, barely dragging along the skin. Her body reacted without thought, skin burning beneath that gentle touch, an intense tightness in her gut winding further, a tightness she was suddenly all too aware of. As Clarke's fingertips continued to dance along the skin of her chest, as though tracing invisible designs, Lexa let out another almost silent breath, and whether the blonde heard it or felt it didn't matter. She knew of it, her lips quirking further the second it was released, and then her fingers teased downwards, gliding long Lexa's breasts from the outside of her shirt. Even without direct contact the brunette felt her body react to the touch, subconsciously pushing into the queen's incredible hands, and her throat burned with longing.  
  
“Clarke,” she whispered, voice higher than usual, another clear sign of the effect the other girl was having on her. Her own fingers fell to the blonde's shoulders, tightening their grip against her simply to hold her close. Clarke's forehead pressed once again against her own, dazzling blue dancing in the orange light of the sunset streaming through the windows. “Lexa,” she whispered right back, the barest hint of teasing coloring her tone, and when the brunette didn't say anything back she smiled before pressing a brief kiss against lips silently begging to be kissed. She felt the hitch in Lexa's breath as her hand traveled quickly to the hem of her shirt, and allowed the smallest amount of space to part them as she pulled the black shirt over the other girl's head, her arms briefly rising along with it. With no thought about the shirt, she tossed it behind her, pulling herself back so that she could greedily stare at the goddess before her, reacquainting herself with the body she already knew so well.  
  
The summer sun had tanned Lexa's skin even more than it had been the last time she saw her, the barest of tan lines coloring her neckline and shoulders. The band that bound Lexa's breasts in place teased at other tan lines, and images flashed through Clarke's mind of the brunette walking around with nothing but the band covering her upper half. She knew that nudity and near-nudity meant little to the Grounders, had certainly learned it quickly within the past month or so in her own village, but somehow had seldom thought of what that must mean for her Commander. Now the pictures rooted themselves in her mind, and she knew she would happily never be able to un-see them.  
  
“Clarke?” Lexa asked, lifting an eyebrow at the blonde. Her upper half was nothing the other girl hadn't seen before, so she didn't understand why she was simply staring, but when blue eyes met hers again, she had to force herself to swallow at seeing the intense desire burning inside them.  
  
“Lay back,” Clarke murmured, leaning forward so she could whisper the soft command in the Commander's ear, and Lexa nodded, slowly moving to do just that, kicking her boots off with the blonde still balanced over her lap. Clarke lifted herself up just enough so that the older girl could pull herself up the bed, now comfortably laying along the mattress, and as she did she just stared, drinking in every detail. Lexa's tattoos seemed to stand out even more against her darker skin, the black of the ink even richer along her arm and side. The tips of the blonde's fingers itched to trace every detail of each, to run along every line and glide over every swirl, and then turn her over so that she could do the same with the twelve symbols lining her back. Her lips tingled, begging to ghost along the plane of her stomach, to press gentle kisses against every scar she could see before mapping out the expanse of those incredible abs. Her body had so many things it wanted to do against Lexa's that for just a second her brain short-circuited, too many options flying through it at once. Finally she bent over, letting her body guide her instead of her mind, and felt her eyes close as her lips began kissing down a chest that rose and fell in quick breaths.  
  
Clarke's lips tickled along her skin, what felt like tiny sparks of electricity passing between them along every spot they covered. When the blonde's tongue darted out every now and then, as though to taste the lightest sheen of sweat Lexa could feel breaking out along her skin, the brunette couldn't help but let out a soft noise. Fingers gripped along her sides, firm but not firm enough to leave any marks behind, and Lexa's skin burned beneath them. Randomly, no rhyme or reason to when or why, she would feel the blonde give the lightest of nibbles against her skin, and each time Lexa would take a sharp breath, her body already unable to handle the way Clarke seemed to worship it. The other girl's lips traveled all the way to the hem of Lexa's pants, still covering her much to the brunette's dismay, and just when she thought Clarke might be about to pull them off, instead those lips rose back up her stomach once again. Before she could get out her frustrated sigh, the breath caught in her chest as she felt the queen's hands move from her sides, quickly gliding up her body to the band still covering her chest. With little trouble Clarke pulled at it, removing it from her body and then tossing it behind her, and Lexa's throat burned as she stared up at the blonde now staring at her revealed chest. She made no noise, nothing that could give away her incredible want at the moment, but the blonde clearly sensed it anyway because the next thing Lexa knew she had leaned down, peppering delicate kisses along the valley between her breasts.  
  
“Clarke,” Lexa huffed after a minute, clearly not approving of the teasing manner in which she felt the blonde's lips pressing against her. Her nipples strained, begging for attention, but Clarke continually ignored them, kissing almost all the way up to one before falling back down and beginning the journey up the other. The lips brushing against her skin smirked, the slight change obvious against Lexa's hyper-sensitive skin, and when blue eyes glanced up at her, amusement once again dancing in them, Lexa returned the look with the smallest of glares. Clearly it was enough to do the trick, because the next time those lips traveled up her breast they continued moving until they could close around the pebbled nipple, gently sucking it into her mouth. The moment she felt the tip of Clarke's tongue brush against it, the Commander let out a low moan, head falling back against the furs and eyes pressing shut. When the blonde's thumb rubbed lightly against her other nipple at the same time her tongue flicked against the one still trapped gently between her lips, Lexa let out another, higher pitched noise.  
  
Hearing that noise break from between the Commander's parted lips, Clarke felt her heart lodge itself in her throat. Nothing else in her life had ever sounded so pure, so sweet as the little noises that managed to escape the brunette every now and then, and all she wanted in that moment was to hear more of them. Breaking her lips away from Lexa's breast, a feat that nearly caused them both to whimper in despair, her thumb continued to rub against the other as she began to once again pepper kisses down along the other girl's stomach. Her free hand traveled with her, and this time when her chin bumped against the rough material of Lexa's pants, she immediately unbuttoned them, slowly dragging the zipper down as well. She could feel the brunette's eyes on her as easily as she felt the heated skin beneath her touch, and pulled herself away from Lexa's body just long enough to drag the pants down long legs that made her throat go dry any time she even thought about them. Lexa kicked, helping her to remove the unwanted clothing, and when next the blonde looked at the older girl she lay before her in nothing but her underwear, the rest of her body on full display for the queen.  
  
“God Lexa,” she managed to get out around the fire burning in her chest. “How do you get more beautiful every time I look at you?” Her words caused the other girl's lips to part, her chest to rise sharply as she took in a quick breath, and Clarke couldn't help but notice the way her thighs pressed together. “Clarke,” she breathed, holding out a hand for the blonde to take. “Come here. Please.” Clarke took it and allowed Lexa to draw her down, shifting so that her body could lay lightly on top of the brunette's. Almost at the same time their eyes closed, lips finding each other's as though they were drawn together, and both sighed into the deepness of the kiss.  
  
Clarke's elbows braced herself on either side of Lexa's head, holding herself up so that she wouldn't squash the other girl, fingers clasping gently along Lexa's jaw. Lexa's grip wasn't nearly as gentle, one hand moving to the back of Clarke's neck and the other to her waist, her body feeling like it was on fire. The tightness in her gut continued to wind ever-tighter, the spot between her legs begging for relief, begging for attention. Every time Clarke moved her body would brush up against Lexa's, and every time it did little sparks of electricity shot between them, igniting every one of her nerve-endings. Clarke deepened the kiss, sinking down further against her, and Lexa couldn't help the loud moan from escaping the back of her throat when she felt one of the blonde's thighs press against the spot between her legs.  
  
Her moan seemed to draw Clarke out of whatever haze she'd fallen into the moment their lips met, and Lexa felt her pull back, breaking the kiss. As though to test the cause of the noise, she purposefully pressed her thigh back against the brunette, and this time Lexa let out a little whimper, her legs subconsciously spreading a little in the hopes of making it easier for the blonde. Clarke grinned, thoroughly enjoying the reaction, and shifted her thigh again.  
  
“Please,” Lexa got out, voice high and breath coming in quick gasps. “Don't tease me, Clarke. I have been waiting for you, for this, for three months.” The grin along the blonde's lips softened, and then she nodded, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss against the brunette's mouth. “Okay,” she whispered, pulling back. “No teasing.” As though to prove her words, she immediately moved back down Lexa's body, quickly slipping the underwear down long legs and tossing them to the floor with the rest of the Commander's clothes. Glancing back up as she positioned herself between Lexa's legs, the blonde smiled, her love for the other girl obvious in every detail of her expression. “Just relax, Lexa. Let me take care of you.”  
  
She was in the middle of nodding, trying to tell the blonde just how much she trusted her to take care of her even though all words escaped her at the moment, when she felt Clarke lean over, and then her mouth was against her sex and Lexa could do nothing but gasp as her head snapped back. Clarke's tongue explored her, re-establishing itself with this part of Lexa that she had come to know so well for such a short period of time, and Lexa felt her body tremble as her legs spread wider, greedily inviting her back. She felt the blonde let out a relieved hum as her tongue swept through her folds, gathering everything she could as she went, and the brunette let out a long moan as the tiny vibrations ran through her. Suddenly Clarke's tongue flattened against her clit, pressing against the oh so sensitive bud, and Lexa felt her hips buck gently against the blonde's mouth. One arm moved to her hips, holding them in place, while the other wrapped itself around her thigh, spreading her even wider, and again that wicked tongue flattened against her clit, followed immediately by a number of quick flicks against it, and Lexa heard herself cry out. As much as her hips tried to move, tried to at the same time flee the wonderful torture of that tongue and beg for more, Clarke's arm held her in place, and Lexa felt herself tremble again at the strength.  
  
“Clarke,” Lexa cried, a whimper following her lover's name as lips closed around her clit and began to gently suck at it. “More. Please, please niron, I need more.”  
  
Whether it was the plea or the pet-name, something in Lexa's cry must have worked, because the next moment she felt the arm wrapped around her thigh move, and then two fingers moved between her lips, immediately finding that spot that was begging helplessly for attention, and slipped inside her. Lexa groaned at the glorious stretch, eyes opening simply to roll back as Clarke began to move her fingers, going slowly at first to give her a chance to get used to them. Moaning freely, Lexa's hands traveled down to wrap her fingers through blonde hair, clasping desperately against it as Clarke's fingers began to gain momentum, curling every now and then and making Lexa's entire body pulse. When she looked down, she could see Clarke watching her, eyes locked onto the brunette's expression, and seeing the blue only made Lexa moan again.  
  
A large part of Clarke never wanted to move, never wanted to be anywhere but where she was with her head and fingers between Lexa's legs. She loved Lexa at all times, no matter what face she was showing, but it was only now, at moments like these, that she got to see the brunette completely let go of every responsibility, every burden she carried, and be truly free. With her thighs clenching and body trembling, Clarke thought she could never see anything more beautiful, and suddenly her heart clenched, desperately needing to see Lexa, to memorize every miniscule movement. With a final flick of her tongue, the blonde pulled her mouth away from the other girl's sex, hearing the sharp breath the Commander took, clearly one of both relief and disappointment mixed together as her fingers loosened their grip against blonde hair. Shifting herself up, hand still between Lexa's legs and fingers never stilling, Clarke stared down at the other girl, drinking in every detail.  
  
“Meizen,” she muttered, eyes scanning over the brunette. The single word managed to break through the fog clouding Lexa's mind, and she forced herself to look up, finding Clarke hovering over her, eyes wide as she stared down at her. Lexa felt a sharp breath tug from her lungs as the fingers inside her shifted, curling and pressing against that spot that made the entire world quake. She could feel it, the pressure building, tightening until it was nearly the only thing she could focus on, but she didn't allow it to break just yet.  
  
“Beja,” she mumbled, her words stumbling together as she forced them out. Her hands fell to the hem of Clarke's shirt, tugging against it lightly. “Beja Klark, niron. Ai gaf in kom ai op yu seintaim.” Clarke's lips pulled up in a soft smile, clearly getting the message through the strained words, and nodded. “Sha, hodness.” Carefully she slipped her fingers out of Lexa, unable to keep herself from smiling at the small whimper the sudden emptiness pulled from the brunette, and quickly she pulled her shirt over her head, letting it fall on the bed beside her. Leaning over so that they were once again pressed together, Clarke kissed Lexa, swallowing the other girl's gasp as her fingers slid back into her. This time she didn't hold back, didn't wait before her fingers were moving quickly, sliding out and then right back in, curling them every now and then and hitting that spot inside of Lexa that made the Commander gasp. Wanting her to finally be able to let go entirely, she brought her thumb down on Lexa's clit, pressing against it roughly, and watched as the brunette's muscles all went taut, her mouth falling open in a silent cry as the pressure inside her finally snapped.  
  
All at once, Lexa felt her body implode on itself. The incredible intensity that had been building ever higher in her gut finally burst, every muscle going taut as waves of electricity shot through her. Her hips moved in a few frantic bucks and then immediately stilled, Clarke's fingers not yet stopping their endless rhythm inside her. For a second she couldn't catch her breath, her lungs and chest full of something so much heavier and sweeter than air. Her body shook, tiny tremors still pulsing through her, and it took every bit of restraint still somehow in her possession not to shout out her release. As it was her moans filled the room, but even so it seemed as though she had become deaf to them, nothing but the pounding of her heart ringing in her ears. Finally she felt her body begin to gain control of itself, and the first thing she felt as her senses woke back up were the fingers still moving slowly between her legs.  
  
“Clarke,” she gasped, unable to quite get anything else out, eyes squeezing shut and head falling to the side. The blonde seemed to understand the plea behind her name, her fingers carefully slipping out of the other girl a moment later, Lexa's body giving a final shudder before she was once again empty, all at once feeling both better and worse. And then Clarke was pressing down against her again, nose nudging softly against her skin and lips trailing delicate kisses in its wake, and Lexa felt her heart clench in her chest, the single feeling almost better than the orgasm her love had just guided her through.  
  
Without thinking about the way her arms still trembled, Lexa reached up, wrapping them around the blonde's middle, tugging her closer. Clarke's pale skin felt cool against her heated torso, the slight temperature difference a temporary relief until she could return the favor. Lips moved to the crook of her neck, pulling gently against her skin, and Lexa let out a long breath. “Clarke,” she repeated, turning just enough so that she could bury her face into blonde hair, happy to get lost in it for just a few seconds.  
  
Hearing Lexa's voice, almost breathy after her orgasm, Clarke grinned. Pulling back just enough so that she could lean against her elbows, she looked down at the brunette, green eyes already staring up at her as she crooked an eyebrow.  
  
“That,” she simply said. “I've been waiting for three months to get to do that again.” Both of Lexa's eyebrows rose, her lips turning up in a small smile, amusement dancing across her face.  
  
“I must admit, I had been looking forward to it myself,” she admitted, one corner of her mouth tugging up even further. “While I did not enjoy the amount of time I had to wait to see you, you certainly did make it worth it.” Clarke saw something new flash across her face, her smile forming into a smirk, and then she felt her breath hitch when fingers began to run lightly up and down her bare sides. “However, didn't you say you thought of me touching you, whenever you would go to bed?” Lexa asked, voice so innocent the blonde immediately knew she was up to something. She felt the Commander shift beneath her, one leg moving just enough so that her knee could perch itself between Clarke's legs, her thigh carefully pressed up against her, and the blonde couldn't hold in the low groan the pressure caused. The noise caused Lexa's knee to press against her harder, before she lifted herself up enough so that her lips hovered near the queen's ear. “I would be very happy to act on those thoughts if you would like, Clarke.”  
  
A quiet whimper pulled from the blonde's throat, even as her head began to nod. “Yes Lexa,” she managed to get out, her mouth suddenly dry. “Please.” The Commander returned the nod with one of her own before she placed a quick kiss just below the ear she had whispered into, pulling back a moment later. Eyes scanning over the blonde still lying above her, she told her, “Sit up, Clarke. I want to see you.” Clarke followed the soft order, swallowing heavily before managing to push herself back up, Lexa's knee still pressed lightly between her legs.  
  
When the blonde had taken her shirt off earlier, Lexa had been too busy, too distracted by the incredible work being done between her legs to truly appreciate the sight before her. Now she did. Her eyes raked over pale skin, noting the slight pink along her shoulders and chest, the color more than just her body's reaction to the moment and a clear indication of the time the blonde had spent out in the summer sun. She made a note to acquire the soothing lotion some of her tradesmen made to prevent the burns, tucking the thought away to remember later, and allowed her gaze to continue wandering. At some point over the past three months Clarke had traded the bra she had worn in for a breast band, the soft worn cloth tucked firmly around her breasts, and while Lexa ached to see her without it, at the same time the small change made something spark inside her. Though a simple difference, this strip of cloth served as a reminder of what had changed, how she and Clarke were no longer pitted against each other as leaders of rivaling people. Now the blonde was one of her own people, still a great leader in her own right, and neither had to worry about their people tearing them apart. Her heart soared at the thought, even if her mind knew that they still had many trials to face before they could allow themselves to truly let their guards down when outside the walls of this bedroom.  
  
Glancing away from the band, Lexa's eyes continued to glide over Clarke's stomach, drinking in every detail. She stopped again when she noticed the faded line leading down to one hip, the long scar pink against pale skin, and for a moment Lexa found it difficult to swallow. She remembered the sweep of the sword as it made the mark, the way her heart had entirely stopped in her chest the moment she saw the blood coating the tip of the weapon when the previous Ice Queen had drawn it back. She remembered the panic she'd felt then and for long hours later as this beautiful blonde had laid before her, eyes closed, her body fighting against all that had been done to it. Those memories were still ones that shook her, that caused her to wake up in a cold sweat some nights, that same fear coating her throat.  
  
Right now though, it wasn't fear that made it difficult to swallow. Instead it was joy and relief and an absolute love that pounded against her chest. Because Clarke was there, in front of her, staring down at her with desperate blue eyes, her chest rising and falling unevenly already, a constant reminder that she was well and so very much alive. Lexa felt tears prickle at the the corners of her eyes, something that the blonde clearly noticed too, as she reached out, hand cupping the brunette's face gently as she frowned.  
  
“Lexa?” she murmured, concern in her voice, but the Commander simply shook her head. Sitting up, her arms wrapped around the other girl's waist, pulling her closer to her. “I was just thinking how lucky I am,” she replied, her own voice soft, care laced into every word. Subconsciously a finger brushed against the scar, tracing gently along its length, and understanding flashed across the blonde's face. Her arms moved to Lexa's shoulders, wrapping around the back of her neck and pulling her even closer, close enough that their foreheads were soon touching once again. “I'm here, Lexa,” Clarke whispered. “Right here. Right with you.”  
  
“Yes,” the Commander agreed, nodding against the younger girl's forehead. “You are. And now it is my turn to take care of you.”  
  
As she finished speaking, Lexa tightened her grip around the blonde's waist and then lifted her up, turning them both so that she could gently lay the other girl beneath her. She heard the little hitch in Clarke's breath as they moved, and looked back into blue eyes as she laid her down, watching the desire spark back to life in them. She felt Clarke's arms slide against her skin, her fingers gripping tightly against her shoulders, and grinned before leaning down, lips finally reconnecting with the blonde's. The moment they did she felt a small growl build in the back of her throat, tasting herself along Clarke's lips. Desire roared to life inside her, igniting first in her chest and then spreading outwards, suddenly desperate to have the blonde trembling beneath her.  
  
Without warning her hands moved to the band still covering the blonde's chest and yanked it away, freeing her breasts, and then her mouth was moving, dragging messy kisses down a pale neck and chest before finally meeting with the glorious breasts she could never get enough of. She heard Clarke let out a small moan as her lips wrapped immediately around a stiff nipple, the noise only spurring her on. Her tongue rolled against the sensitive bud, sucking and flicking against it, lavishing it with all the attention she could possibly give it. The grip on her shoulders disappeared, only to reappear a few seconds later at the top of her head, Clarke's fingers weaving themselves into her hair, and she couldn't find it in herself to care as she felt a sharp tug from one of the braids along her scalp. She expected more before long, mouth watering as she imagined what she had planned for it, but continued to focus on the beautiful chest before her. Soon she was switching over to the other breast, showing it equal attention, and the little gasps coming from the blonde had her blood pounding in her veins.  
  
“Lexa,” she heard Clarke stammer. “Please.” Hips pressed against her own, the blonde clearly trying to find some sort of relief to the pressure building between her legs, and for a moment the older girl ignored her, the quirk of her lips as she continued to suck against the nipple in her mouth the only indication she noticed. Suddenly she felt a sharp tug against her scalp, Clarke's fingers tightening in her hair before lightly pushing at her, trying to urge her down where she clearly needed her. “Lexa, now,” she demanded, the hint of a whine beneath the words, and finally the Commander complied.  
  
“Sha, Klark,” she murmured against pale skin, her breath hitting a sensitive nipple and causing a light tremor to shoot through Clarke's spine. The grip in her hair didn't lessen as she began to move down the blonde's body, perhaps instead even getting tighter in anticipation, but the brunette didn't say anything against it. She ran kisses down along the blonde's stomach, loving the incredible softness of Clarke's skin. While there were obvious signs of all the training the other girl had clearly continued to do since they last parted, she was still soft, still wonderfully curved, and Lexa wanted to simply get lost in those incredible curves.  
  
Finally that softness fell beneath the pants still clinging to Clarke's legs, and Lexa scowled at the material that dared to stand between her and the skin she wanted to continue to rain kisses on. Without pausing she shifted, unbuttoning the pants as she moved and giving a sharp tug of the zipper. Briefly Clarke's fingers slipped from her hair, the brunette using the freedom to slide down the bed, carefully pulling the queen's riding boots off and letting them fall down to the floor. Crawling back up the bed, her fingers slipped beneath the hem of her pants, sliding under the blonde's underwear as well, and immediately stripping the blonde of both, letting them fall down to pool over the boots. She stared hungrily for a moment at pale legs, spread just enough to get a peak between them, and felt her own arousal spark once again. Her own sex ached for attention, clearly already wanting more, but she ignored it, every fiber of her being focused entirely on the blonde already trembling lightly before her.  
  
A tiny part of Clarke wanted to sigh the second she felt her pants tugged away from her body, the material too hot with everything racing through her at the moment. That sigh got stuck in her throat when she looked down her body, finding Lexa blatantly staring at the spot between her legs, her eyes dark with desire. Instead what came out of her throat was a whimper, soft and more needy than she'd care to admit, and her fingers wrapped once again through brunette locks, tugging lightly against them, desperate for some relief. That whimper was enough, green eyes tearing away from her sex just long enough to make eye contact with her. Her jaw worked, a desperate “Please” trying to take shape, but the word never entirely made it out. Before her brain could entirely figure out what it was she was trying to beg for, Lexa had shifted forward, her arms wrapping around the blonde's thighs and spreading her pale legs open wide.  
  
The first kiss Lexa pressed against the inside of her thigh burned against Clarke's skin, her breath hitching. The second seared, those lips moving up what felt like a single centimeter at a time, and a whine tore from the blonde's throat. Lexa's mouth moved slowly, teasing against the younger girl's thighs, and soon Clarke felt her hips begin to buck, lightly at first, and then with more power the closer the Commander's lips got to where she needed them most. Her muscles clenched, desperate for something to tighten around, but the brunette didn't give them anything. Just when the blonde was sure the next movement would bring that glorious mouth against her, Lexa's head tilted, her lips bypassing her dripping sex and moving over to the opposite thigh to begin the torture all over again.  
  
“Lexaaa,” Clarke cried, tugging harshly against the other girl's hair. “S-Stop teasing me!” She felt the brunette smirk, the twitch of her lips simply making her hips buck again, and just scowled when she looked down and met a green stare, the older girl's mirth glowing back at her. And then she felt her breath get stuck in her throat as the Commander shifted, mouth directly in front of where Clarke _ached_ for her. “Sha, hodness,” she felt whispered against her, Lexa pressing a soft kiss against her mound, and then her back went rigid as the brunette dove in.  
  
It had been a kind of torture, pressing kisses to Clarke's thighs when she could see how worked up the blonde was, could actually smell the other girl's arousal in front of her. She'd held back, wanting to wind the queen up as tightly as possible, but the moment her tongue dipped between those lips, she knew there could be no more holding back. Clarke's arousal bombarded her sense, coating her tongue and invading her nose, and the moment it did a groan tore forcefully from her throat. She didn't feel the harsh grip Clarke had on her hair, barely noticed the way her hips pushed up against her face. On some level she heard the noises the other girl made, the moans and cries of pleasure, but even that wasn't quite enough to break through the fog that coated her mind. Her tongue swept through the blonde's folds, lapping up at the wetness her teasing had caused, traveling up to a stiff clitoris that she could have sworn had been designed just for her. She curled her tongue around it, sucking against it lightly, and heard the cry that broke from Clarke's lips. She flicked at the bud a few times, swirling her tongue against it, and then abandoned it for the time being, traveling back down until she could thrust inside the blonde, desperate for everything the queen could give her.  
  
As Lexa's too-skilled tongue worked between her legs, Clarke had no control over her body. She writhed beneath the Commander, head pressed hard into the mattress below her, muscles all held incredibly tight. She was already so close, so close to that breaking point, to falling over the edge where there was no ground on the other side to land on, but she fought to hold on, to hold it all back for as long as she possibly could. But it all felt too good, and it had been so long since she'd had Lexa with her, Lexa touching her and loving her and making her feel like her body was on fire, that she knew she couldn't possibly last for much longer. As the tongue thrust roughly inside her Clarke could hold back her orgasm, but the moment two of Lexa's fingers moved to her clit, circling it roughly, she knew she was a goner. The winding in her gut reached its maximum point, and then she was coming undone, her entire body losing control as her muscles all went haywire.  
  
Gently Lexa worked the blonde through her orgasm, drawing it out as long as possible with the careful slide of her tongue. Clarke's muscles quaked, her thighs pressing tightly against her ears, before she went slack, body sinking into the furs beneath her. For a long moment her fingers remained tangled in the Commander's hair, quiet whimpers still pulling from her throat as the other girl continued to work between her legs, and then she felt Lexa shift, felt warm lips pressing small kisses against her thighs and then trailing her way back up the blonde's body. Clarke let out a small sigh, the sound barely audible in the large room, and fought to get her breathing back under control while her eyes remained closed, at some point having shut in the throws of her orgasm. They only opened again when she felt Lexa stop moving, clearly holding herself above the younger woman, and the first thing she saw when she did was the soft smile playing along Lexa's lips, her green eyes dancing in the flickering candle light. Clarke returned the smile, entirely satisfied with the moment, and then tugged lightly against the Commander's hair. Lexa clearly understood the silent request, the next minute leaning down so that she could give Clarke the kiss both felt building between them.  
  
“Mmm,” Clarke sighed the second Lexa pulled away again, her own taste lingering on her lips. Fingers untangling themselves from the other girl's hair, she tucked the strands that had fallen into Lexa's face behind her ears, wanting nothing more than to be able to stare at the goddess above her unrestricted. “You're still just so good at that. I've missed it.” Turning her head, she pressed a quick kiss to one of Lexa's wrists, the brunette trying to hold herself up over the blonde. “I've missed you.”  
  
“I have missed you as well, Clarke,” Lexa admitted, smile growing even smaller but some how becoming even more present. Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to the blonde's shoulder, turning slightly so that her forehead could press against Clarke's cheek. She shifted, allowing her weight to fall to one side of the other girl, and lowered herself back down to the mattress. Though the sun had almost completely set by now, neither moved to retreat beneath the furs, the heat in the room still enough to keep them from getting cold. Instead they remained together, naked bodies pressed against each other as Lexa's body seemed to curl into Clarke's side. Clarke's body mirrored the movement, her shoulder happily supporting the brunette's head as she laid against it, and for a few minutes they were quiet, each content to simply soak in the bliss of the moment.  
  
Fingers began to skim along her arm, tracing over the tattoo there, and Lexa's eyes fluttered shut. She let out a happy hum, turning to bump her nose against Clarke's shoulder, and breathed in the blonde's scent, allowing herself to get lost in it. One arm reached out, lazily draping across the younger girl's waist, and her own fingers began to dance along soft skin. When she felt the tips of her fingers glide over the scar along Clarke's hip however, her eyes opened, reality coming back to her. Eyes opening, she glanced over at the blonde, finding that her eyes had fallen closed as well, and was clearly tracing Lexa's tattoo from memory.  
  
“Clarke,” she began, and the queen's eyebrows lifted, the only indication she was listening. Not changing the way her fingers ran lightly along pale skin, she asked, “Now that we have discovered that we are clearly still very capable of taking care of one another's physical needs, can we talk about the Sankru?” She heard the blonde groan, face scrunching up, before one eye cracked open.  
  
“Lexa, do we really have to talk about this now?” she wanted to know, second eye opening so that she could turn and look at the brunette. When she did she let out another groan, seeing that look on the brunette's face that was somehow a mix of her Lexa and the Commander, a look that told her she wasn't going to be able to get out of having this talk. She was right.  
  
“Enit attacked you, Clarke,” Lexa reminded her, as though she might have forgotten. Her fingers running along the blonde's side stilled for just a second, the words clearly affecting her, but her expression didn't change. “Even if you were not you, I would still need to do something about it. I cannot have the prince from one clan attacking the queen from another. The coalition is not strong enough to hold up against the ramifications that could cause.”  
  
“If it weren't me he'd attacked, and that other leader told you they didn't want you to get in the middle of it, would you be this insistent to do it anyway?” the queen wanted to know, lifting an eyebrow at her, and the Commander remained silent, both of them knowing her answer. Clarke leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to Lexa's shoulder. “I know you want to make sure I'm safe, Lexa,” she insisted softly, fingers gliding up and down her lover's arm, “But the first thing the other clan leaders see me do can't be calling for the death of the Sankru leader and his son.”  
  
“It is what any of them would do, if King Hektar had sent his son after any of them,” the brunette informed her, lifting an eyebrow, and then felt Clarke shrug beneath her.  
  
“Yeah, but I'm not one of them,” she replied. “Right now every one of them are watching me, waiting to see what I'm going to be like and what I'll do. I'm an unknown to them, much more than any of the other clan leaders have ever been, and we both know that people don't trust what they don't know. If I killed either the king or his son, how long would it be until someone else just tried the same thing?”  
  
Lexa's jaw clenched, fingers curling protectively against the blonde's side. “Then they would quickly realize their mistake,” she growled quietly, “I will kill anyone who tries to hurt you.” Clarke smiled, unsurprised by the response, but shook her head.  
  
“I can't let you fight all my battles for me though, Lexa,” she argued. “I'm the Ice Queen: that makes me responsible for myself and my people. How would it look if I just stood back and let the Commander do everything for me? If this is going to work, if we're going to be able to convince the rest of the clans to accept me as a leader, then I need to convince them to respect me, just as they would any one else.” When Lexa just frowned, clearly not having an argument for that but still obviously not liking any of this, Clarke gave her a little nudge. Letting the blonde shift her, Lexa turned over on the bed, falling to her back, and now it was Clarke's turn to lean against her. The blonde crossed her arms over the Commander's shoulder, letting her chin sink down to rest on them, and met Lexa's look. “I have a plan, Lexa,” she promised, lifting her brow slightly. “I'm not just going to let this go, but I'm not killing anyone either. It may make me a bad Grounder and a bad queen, but I'm tired of killing. I know jus drein jus daun is our way, but I'm not ready to call for blood yet, especially when Ontari stopped Enit before he could even attack.”  
  
For a second it looked as though Lexa might be on the verge of letting the subject drop, at least for the moment, but as soon as the other girl's name was mentioned the clench of her jaw returned at full force. She tried to keep her expression as calm as possible, but Clarke could see the storm brewing in green eyes that flashed in the flickering candle light.  
  
“Yes, Ontari,” she began, her tone carefully controlled. “I was... surprised to see her riding with you. And Roan as well. They are... interesting choices to bring with you.”  
  
“You know them?” Clarke questioned, honestly not all that surprised, but watched anyway as Lexa gave a single nod. “I know everyone who is a potential threat to me or those I am meant to protect,” the Commander answered easily. “As Nia's old Second, Ontari is at the top of that list. As a well-known Azgeda warrior, Roan is not far beneath her.” Looking at the blonde out of the corner of her eyes, she admitted, “Honestly, I am still a bit surprised that neither were a part of Nia's rebellion.”  
  
“I think Ontari was,” Clarke replied honestly, watching as Lexa's expression hardened further. “She was in one of the other villages while all that happened, but I think she was supposed to be putting together more warriors to follow Nia in an attack against you. My guess is she would have then gone back to Keerie and joined back up with her queen. I guess you could almost say she was in the wrong place at the right time.” She shrugged then, body moving against the glaring brunette. “Roan I'm not so sure about. I think he was loyal to Nia, but I don't know how far that loyalty went. He's harder to get a read on than Ontari is.”  
  
“If you know this about them both, then why are they here, Clarke?” Lexa demanded, eyes blazing. “It is bad enough that any number of the other clans could be potential enemies, could be planning ways to try to hurt you even now, why are you also surrounding yourself with others? The warriors you have with you are ones you should be able to trust to protect you, and Ontari is the last person I trust with your life. I know her and what she has done: she is more likely to stab you in the back than keep it protected.”  
  
Clarke remained quiet for a second, a little frown pulling at her expression, and Lexa waited. “They've accepted me, for the most part,” she finally answered, her voice quiet and the frown not leaving. Her eyes flickered up, meeting Lexa's, and she continued. “The Ice Nation, my people; they've accepted me. Those in Keerie accepted me almost immediately. I guess watching me go up against Nia, defying her and becoming Ubroukai, I guess that was enough for all of them. Even before you left, I was their queen, and they accepted it.” She let out a little sigh, shaking her head. “People in the other villages in the Ice Nation, they weren't quite as quick to accept me. I took a group of people from Keerie and we traveled around, going to each of the villages, and by the time we got to each of them, the story had spread. They'd all heard what had happened, but a lot of them were hesitant, for a while at least. Most of them were ashamed when they heard about what Nia had tried to do, especially when they heard she'd stolen guns from Mount Weather, so after meeting me they were ready to call me their queen. Some of them weren't, though. There are still some of them, some of my people, who haven't been convinced that I'm suited to be their new leader. They see me as a Sky girl, a stranger and invader, and can't accept me. I know if I'm not careful, if I don't figure out a way to prove to them that I am their queen, someday one or more will just challenge me, just like I did Nia.” She felt Lexa's hands move to her hips, fingers lightly digging into her skin and holding her in place, fear briefly flashing through her eyes. They both knew what that challenge might mean, and even the Commander wouldn't have the power to stop it if it were ever issued. To help alleviate that fear she could still see clouding behind a piercing green stare, Clarke's fingertips began to draw light patterns along Lexa's skin once again.  
  
“Those people who think that look to Roan or Ontari,” she continued. “If they ever decide to do something, it'll be because of one of them.” She let out a humorless laugh, the strange noise echoing off the walls. “Honestly, I'm a little surprised Ontari _hasn't_ tried anything yet,” she admitted. “It's clear she hates me, and from what I've seen and heard about her, she isn't exactly known for her patience.” One shoulder lifted up, nothing more than a simple shrug. “I think she's biding her time, waiting until I give her some kind of excuse. She's not dumb: she sees how many of our people support me, and knows that she'd have a fight larger than just me and her on her hands if she tried.”  
  
“Much larger,” Lexa agreed, a threatening promise lacing her tone, and Clarke gave her a little smile. She sighed then, letting her chin drop back down against her arms. “So I brought them both with me,” she finished, sounding almost tired. “I figured while I work to try to convince all the clan leaders I deserve to be the Azgeda queen, I might as well try to convince the two of them at the same time. Try to kill two birds with one stone.” Lexa looked puzzled, clearly uncertain about yet another strange Skaikru saying, but decided to let it slip away for now rather than have Clarke explain.  
  
“That is very smart,” she finally agreed, giving a quick nod to the blonde. She knew Clarke could see her worry, likely could hear it in her voice even as she added, “I still do not like that you have allowed enemies to get so close to you.”  
  
“I have allies close to me too,” she argued nonchalantly, focus now glancing around the room, as though bored of the conversation. “Echo's with me, and Nygel, and now that we're here I'll have Lincoln and Octavia with me again. And Jojesh is always close by, never far away.”  
  
“Hm,” Lexa let out, lips pursing. “Yes. Him.” Clarke felt her hands move to her back, fingers likely subconsciously running over the many patterns there, and shook her head, lips pulling up in a small smile. “You know you're gonna have to forgive him for what he did eventually,” she informed the brunette. “If I have then you should be able to too.” Lexa's eyes darted to hers, having been staring straight ahead for a moment, and Clarke almost had to swallow at seeing the intensity in them. “I do not have to forgive him for anything,” the Commander growled, tone low. “I simply have to trust that he will not hurt you again, and that is difficult enough.” Clarke decided to let it go, already knowing that wasn't an argument she would be able to win, and shifted, uncrossing her arms so that she could lay her cheek against Lexa's skin, pressed just above one breast and able to hear her heart thudding in her chest.  
  
“I feel kind of bad for her,” she murmured after a few minutes of quiet, each clearly getting lost in their own thoughts. She felt Lexa's fingers tap against her back, as though silently asking her to clarify. “Ontari,” she said, “I feel bad for her. I mean, she became Nia's Second when she was just a kid. She might not have been as young as you were when you became Anya's, but still, that had to have effected her. To be around someone so cruel for so long, and to have that be the person you look up to...” Clarke shook her head, closing her eyes. “I can't even imagine. No wonder she is the way she is.”  
  
“If Nia chose her as her Second, it was because she saw something in Ontari,” Lexa replied, voice clipped. “Even as a child she could see their similarities.” Clarke opened her eyes, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Are you saying that Anya didn't have a lot to do with how you turned out?” she asked. “I know she didn't have anything to do with the Commander thing, but can you say you would be the same person you are today if Anya hadn't been a part of your life?” Lexa stayed silent, unable to dispute Clarke's point. Her silence all the answer the blonde needed, she heard the other girl let out a slight sigh. “I just feel bad for her, is all I'm saying. It doesn't excuse anything she has done or might do, but I understand her a little more, knowing what Nia was like.” Something about her tone made Lexa glance down at her, immediately seeing the hard lines etched against the side of her mouth and her furrowed forehead, and the Commander knew at once that she must be remembering all the things her predecessor had put her through. Needing to erase those lines, Lexa's arms curled around the blonde, quickly flipping them both over so that she could settle her chest down against the younger girl's, burying her head against the blonde's neck.  
  
“I do not wish to talk about them anymore,” she murmured, keeping her voice light, and she could practically feel the tension flow from Clarke's muscles. Lips brushed along the top of her head, and she glanced up, seeing soft blue eyes watching her, a smile once again pulling at full lips.  
  
“We don't have to talk at all, if you don't want,” the queen informed her, arms circling around the Commander's waist to mirror her hold. Lexa grinned, leaning down to run tiny kisses along the length of the blonde's jaw, and heard Clarke let out a little sigh. “Is there anywhere else you have to go tonight?” she asked, already a little breathless. “Anyone else you're supposed to visit?”  
  
“No,” Lexa told her, bright eyes shining down at the blonde. Playfully she nipped against the younger girl's chin, informing her, “The only place I must be tonight is right here with you.”  
  
“Hm,” Clarke hummed, leaning forward and pressing her lips along the brunette's neck. “I like that answer.” She paused for a second, clearly remembering something, and then Lexa felt her grin widen. “Although Reese and Thom are going to be mad at me, for keeping you all to myself tonight.” She clearly wasn't too concerned however, her lips moving back to the Commander's neck the moment the last word left her tongue.  
  
“I will take them to the training grounds in the morning,” she promised. “To make it up to them. Tonight however I have no desire to leave this room.”  
  
“Me neither,” Clarke agreed, grinning, and then their lips came together, forming into one just as seamlessly as they always did. They danced together for long seconds, once again getting lost in their own little world, everything outside it fading to black and falling away, until they were the last people on the planet. They finally broke apart for air, chests rising and falling against each other as their foreheads came together, each staring into the other's eyes with little smiles on their faces. Lexa scanned Clarke's face, her heart nearly bursting in her chest with all she was feeling, and finally she knew she could no longer hold it all in, nor did she want to. Leaning so close to the blonde that the tips of their noses touched, she heard herself whisper, “I love you, Clarke.” She watched the queen's smile grow, that very same feeling shining back at her from blue eyes, and when she heard Clarke's whispered reply, she knew without a doubt that she would live the rest of her life wanting nothing more than to just hear those words repeated back to her, over and over. “Ai hod yu in, Leksa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It might take me a little longer to get the next chapter out, because I have to get some work done on "Continuum." I promise not to keep you waiting for too long though! In the mean time, I always love hearing from you, so feel free to let me know what you think about the chapter or the story so far in general. :) Thanks all!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Jus drein jus daun" - "Blood must have blood"  
> "Ai gaf yu in" - "I want you"  
> "Ai hod yu in" - "I love you"  
> "Niron" - "Love"  
> "Meizen" - "Beautiful"  
> "Beja Klark, niron. Ai gaf in kom ai op yu seintaim." - "Please Clarke, love. I need to see you also."  
> "Sha hodness." - "Yes love."


	5. Chapter 4

Gentle lips brushed against the nape of her neck, and Clarke couldn't help the little grin from pulling at her lips. Eyes still closed, she pretended to still sleep, not missing the way Lexa's arm tightened gently around her waist. The fingers resting against her stomach began to draw little patterns just below her belly button, and without entirely meaning to she felt herself press up against the woman behind her.  
  
“Good morning, Clarke,” she heard, the words whispered against her ear. Clearly Lexa wasn't believing her pretend sleep, so finally she gave up, eyes opening. Dim light filtered in through the windows, the morning clearly still early, but after getting up around dawn every morning for months now, the early wake up felt natural. The body pressed against her, bare but for the light sheet covering the both of them, felt even more natural.  
  
The grip around her waist loosened just enough for her to easily turn around, and then she found herself staring into soft green eyes. Lexa's lips were already pulled into a small smile, her expression and the way her hair pooled around her head making her look nothing like the fierce Commander everyone knew her as and everything like the soft young woman she seldom allowed herself to be.  
  
“Morning,” the younger woman murmured back, body pressing lightly against the brunette's. She felt Lexa's grip tighten, as though she were trying to pull her closer, and happily sank into the hold.  
  
Neither felt the need to move around, to speak or start any conversation, both simply content to lay with the other so close, eyes scanning the face of the woman they loved while outside the windows they could hear the faint noises of the city waking up beneath them. Birds chirped as they flew by, incomprehensible words managed to filter through the windows as already vendors began trying to sell their wares, but inside their room Heda and Wanheda simply laid together in peace.  
  
Finally Clarke sighed, breaking the small spell both had fallen under.  
  
“We should probably get up,” she stated, body in no way showing she cared about the truth of her words. “Yes,” Lexa agreed, head nodding lightly against her pillow. “We probably should.” Still neither made any move to get out of bed, bodies laying perfectly still until Lexa ventured forward, her upper half leaning in closer to Clarke's. The blonde mirrored the move, and then without thought their lips met, the gentlest of good mornings silently whispered against each other's mouths.  
  
Once they pulled away, they finally began to move. Unsurprisingly, Lexa was the first to sit up, and as the sheet pooled down around her lap Clarke drank in the sight of her bare skin. The night before she hadn't taken much time to really study her tattoos, especially not the ones etched in a wide oval along her back, but now for a moment her eyes fell over them greedily, re-familiarizing themselves with the designs that helped to designate this amazing piece of art as Heda. Out of the corner of her eye Lexa noticed her stare, and didn't fight against the little smile tugging at the crease of her lips. Her arms stretched, body working out the kinks and stiffness that comes with even the deepest of sleeps, and felt Clarke watching her as her skin shifted along toned muscle. Her own arms still up in the air, her smile simply grew as she felt the other girl shift forward on the bed, pale arms encircling her waist. Lips began pressing against the nape of her neck, and Lexa wanted nothing more than to just sink in them and allow the blonde to pull her back against the mattress.  
  
“Clarke,” she warned instead, tone light even with the warning. “We agreed; we should be getting up.  
  
“I know,” Clarke replied, words spoken barely an inch away from tanned skin. “I'm getting there; little steps.” Lexa grinned and then she twisted slightly, lips finding the queen's, coaxing them into a soft, deep kiss. She felt Clarke's body shift closer to her own once again, could practically feel the blonde's heartbeat begin to pick up, but before anymore could happen she was pulling away, completely untangling herself from the sheets and furs and sliding off the bed. The younger woman tried to pout, but the effect was lost as her eyes raked over Lexa's naked form, taking in the rest of her body that had been hidden away until that moment.  
  
“In order to take steps, you must leave the bed, Clarke,” Lexa teased, eyes twinkling in the early morning light. She began gathering the clothes that had been tossed aside the night before, grabbing what was hers so that she could pull it back on, and as she began to dress she heard the younger woman let out a small sigh. Looking up, she found the blonde watching her wistfully as she began to cover herself back up, and simply shook her head, grin still firmly in place.  
  
“I know we can't right now, but someday I will keep you in bed all day,” the queen informed her, watching as Lexa pulled her shirt back on. When the brunette simply raised an eyebrow at her, she mirrored the gesture, telling her, “I will, and I won't let you get dressed that entire time.” Lexa, now wearing her shirt and underwear once again, walked over to the side of the bed, leaning over so that she could press a delicate kiss to the blonde's bare shoulder.  
  
“Only if it means you will not dress either,” she replied, nose gently grazing along a soft jaw. She felt Clarke nod and then pressed another quick kiss against a pale cheek. “Then I look forward to this day,” she agreed, pulling away and stepping back, smile only growing at the little huff her actions pulled from the blonde.  
  
As Lexa walked back to the end of the bed to find her pants, Clarke finally moved, legs moving to hang over the side of the mattress. As she stood up, she noticed Lexa eyeing her in the same way she had eyed the brunette, and just grinned. Walking over to join the older girl in the search for their clothes, she saw Lexa nod towards the side of the room.  
  
“I know you brought your own clothes, but I had some others picked out for you as well, if you would like them,” she simply said, and Clarke followed her gaze to find a door she hadn't noticed before. Moving over to it, she opened it, finding a number of clothes hanging in the little closet, all in various colors and styles. She found pants and shirts and dresses, as well as underclothes. It was clear, from everything within the room and not just the closet, that the Commander wanted her to feel perfectly comfortable while there. The thought only made her smile soften, emotions tumbling around in her gut in the best possible way.  
  
“Thank you,” she told the other girl, getting a nod in return, and then pulled out a simple pair of long pants and a short-sleeve shirt, the day already promising to be a hot one.  
  
With only a few more stolen glances, the two dressed, finally forcing themselves to get ready for the day. They stayed away from the bed, away from the temptation that came with it, only moving together again once they were ready to face the day and whatever challenges may come with it. With a final kiss, one they would each hold on to until they could hide away once again later that night, they moved to the door, Lexa reaching out to open it.  
  
As it opened, Clarke's eyes widened, suddenly reminded of something she'd forgotten the evening before.  
  
“Jojesh!” she exclaimed, clearly surprised to see him still standing outside her door. Turning, she found a second person, eyes widening further. “Ryder! I... How long have you been out here?”  
  
“Wanheda,” Ryder replied, nodding his head slightly. “I have been here all night.” She saw him eye Jojesh out of the corner of his vision, clearly not trusting the warrior any more than Lexa did. Focus shifting then to the Commander, he nodded again, saying, “Heda. Shet stayed with the Skaikru last night, to be sure no one bothered them.”  
  
“Mochof Raider,” Lexa returned, arms folding easily behind her back, clearly unsurprised to see either warrior, but Clarke felt her cheeks getting hot, suddenly thinking about any of the many things either of them might have heard throughout the night. None of the other three gave any indication that anything was amiss, so she just followed Lexa as the Commander made her way past the two warriors, pulling the door to her room closed behind them.  
  
The Commander led the way back towards the elevator, Clarke beside her and the two warriors trailing behind them. They reached the elevator shaft but the elevator itself had moved to another floor since the two leaders arrived last night, so Lexa reached forward, giving a swift tug to a small rope hanging from the wall beside the shaft. The group waited in silence, the young queen taking the opportunity to really look around the hallway and take in details she had missed during her first venture through, until at last they heard the elevator settle on their floor. A bald man already stood inside, a momentary look of surprise washing across his face when he saw Lexa, before that look dissipated. The Commander nodded to Clarke and the queen entered the small space, the others following her on, and she felt the man turn his gaze to her, giving her a look that was just shy of a glare.  
  
“Heda,” the man said the moment the brunette stepped onto the elevator, bowing his head respectfully to her. Lexa nodded to him, returning the greeting and then gesturing to the blonde. “Titus. This is Clarke, Queen of the Ice Nation. Clarke, this is Titus, my head adviser.”  
  
Again Clarke felt him leveling his almost glare at her, but she just nodded, giving him a polite smile. “It's nice to meet you,” she told him, and there was a short silence for just a moment as he studied her, before replying. “It is good to meet you as well, Wanheda. I have heard much about you.” And then, as though she no longer existed, he turned back to Lexa. “ _Commander, the Plains Riders arrived late last night, and I have just received word that the Lake People are no more than an hour away. The leaders of both clans will wish to speak with you, as does King Asher. That leaves only the Delphi Clan left, and they should be here by mid-day. I am sure they will expect to see you shortly after their arrival as well._ ”  
  
“Mochof, Taitus,” Lexa replied, barely so much as glancing at him. “I will see to everyone in time. For now however I am busy.” The elevator reached the ground floor even as she finished speaking, and as Clarke followed her out of it, she felt a fully developed glare boring into the back of her skull, the man clearly deciding she was the cause for the Commander's lack of time without asking for anymore information. The adviser remained in the elevator a moment longer than they did, enough time for them to put distance between themselves and him.  
  
“Well he doesn't like me,” Clarke muttered, low enough so that only Lexa and maybe Ryder and Jojesh could hear. Beside her Lexa's lips curled up for the briefest of seconds before flattening back out in her controlled Commander expression.  
  
“Do not take it personal,” she murmured back, leading the way out of Polis Tower. Glancing over at the blonde, she informed her, “Titus does not like many people.”  
  
“Something tells me it's a little more personal with me,” Clarke stated, giving Lexa a look and finally the Commander gave in quietly. “He is one of the ones who was not happy to hear that you became queen, though he was happy to hear of Nia's death. He would have been happier if all of Azgeda had been wiped out. He also does not like that I invited Skaikru here to witness our celebrations.”  
  
“Ah,” Clarke just said, “He has a lot to be upset about then.” Neither mentioned what they were thinking, that soon he and many others would only be more upset when they learned of the Commander's real reason for inviting the Sky People to Polis. Instead, Lexa just nodded.  
  
The four walked together in silence after that, the two warriors trailing behind and always on the look out for any trouble while the Commander walked proudly, shoulders squared and hands folded neatly behind her back. Beside her Clarke moved with her own back straight, the dozens of stares directed at them from every side clearly affecting her, but didn't try to hide the way she still tried to take everything in.  
  
It didn't take very long for them to reach the building Lexa had set aside for the Azgeda visitors, and already people were moving around in front of it. Lexa could practically feel the shift in the blonde as her focus left the city and turned solely on her people. She allowed herself to step back, mentally if not physically, letting Clarke take the lead with her own people.  
  
Approaching the building, the queen felt herself smile, subconsciously walking a little taller. Niylah and Luca were already going through a section of one of their wagons, getting ready to try to trade or sell some of the merchandise they'd brought from Keerie and the other Ice Nation villages. As one of their best tradespeople, Clarke had no doubt Niylah would do just fine selling their wares, and Luca's presence could only help considering he was the craftsman responsible for almost half of the beautiful items they'd brought. Kila was doing her best to help them, but seemed to be having a hard time helping them and also trying to keep an eye on the toddler that kept trying to make a break for it, clearly more interested in exploring than playing with the toys his grandmother had set out for him. Sitting on the steps leading to the inside of the building she saw Octavia, the younger girl cradling her sword in her lap as she sharpened it. Reese and Thom sat near her, Reese watching while Thom stared off, clearly bored. As they approached, he heard their footsteps and turned, suddenly lighting up.  
  
“Clarke!” he exclaimed, jumping up. “Heda!” He abandoned his spot next to Reese, dashing over to them and running right into the blonde's side, wrapping his arms around her waist in a tight hug. “Finally!” Sef looked up at the sound of her name and grinned, following Thom at an equally excited run, and this time his grandmother didn't try to stop him. After quickly returning Thom's hug, she pulled out of his grip so that she could step forward and catch Sef, heaving him up in her arms and causing him to laugh loudly. Thom just moved on to Lexa, an equally large smile on his face as he latched himself onto her.  
  
“Good morning to you both too!” Clarke laughed, hugging Sef in her arms and flashing a smile over to the little boy still attached to Lexa. “Did you have a good night?”  
  
“Where were you?” Reese demanded, standing up just so that she could put her fists to her hips, leveling a scowl at both leaders. “You said you would come back later, not the next day!” Clarke almost winced, feeling a little guilty, but met the little girl's glare.  
  
“I'm sorry Reese,” she replied, moving closer to her. “We had a lot to talk about and it all kind of... took longer than we thought it would.” Still sitting on the steps, she heard Octavia let out what sounded kind of like a snort.  
  
“Yeah, sure,” she scoffed, glancing up the blonde with her head still tilted down towards her sword. “That's what you were doing all night; you were just talking. Lincoln and I always have a lot to 'talk' about when we haven't seen each other for a while too.” It was Clarke's turn to level a small glare at the younger girl, not missing the way the corners of her lips had turned up, even as she felt her cheeks begin to heat up. “That's enough, Octavia,” she mumbled, shooting her a warning look, and the warrior just held up both hands, sword balancing precariously in her lap while she gave Clarke a full on grin.  
  
“Reese, I apologize for not returning last night like we said we would,” Lexa told the little girl, completely ignoring the quiet conversation taking place between the queen and her warrior. As Reese continued to glare, still not mollified, she decided to just skip straight to the bribe. “To make it up to you, I thought you and Thom may like to come train with me? I have another student who will be working with us as well.”  
  
Reese's eyes lit up, clearly more than happy to let her anger go if it meant she could train with the Commander, but Clarke's eyebrows shot up, surprised by that last bit of information.  
  
“You have a student?” she asked, not able to hide the shock in her tone. Last she knew, Lexa tried not to create ties with individual people so that they could never be used against her, just as Nia had tried to do with the blonde. “Like a Second?” Lexa met her surprised expression, her own perfectly calm, and gave a tiny shake of her head.  
  
“He is not my Second, no,” she answered, “But I am training him. Would you like to join us? I would like for you to meet him.” Clarke hesitated, curious about who this mystery person was that Lexa hadn't yet thought to mention, but ended up shaking her head.  
  
“No, that's okay, you guys go without me,” she replied. Sef suddenly shifted, clearly ready to be put down again to continue exploring, and she tightened her grip on him to keep him from trying to all but jump out of her arms. She noticed Thom look up at her, disappoint pulling at his expression, and she gave him a small smile. “I need to stay here and check on everyone, see how they're all doing,” she informed him. “But I promise, I'll join you all another time, okay? Right now you go and have some fun. Do me a favor and try to beat Heda, okay?” At that he grinned, teeth flashing, and nodded.  
  
“Come on,” Lexa said, nodding back in the direction they had just come from. “The training fields are this way.” As both children moved towards her, she glanced up, meeting Clarke's eyes. For a moment all manner of humor left her, eyes boring into the blonde's as she told her quietly, “It would be best if you didn't go exploring without me, Kwin Klark. I can show you around Polis once we have finished training.” The warning was hidden in her tone, too soft for any of the children to pick up on it, but Clarke did, and she knew that the warriors close enough to hear her had as well.  
  
“I look forward to it, Heda,” she simply replied, giving Lexa a little smile and a nod. The Commander returned the nod slowly, and then turned around, ready to lead Reese and Thom through Polis and to the training fields. Before she did however she stopped as Jojesh tried to walk past her, forcing the warrior to stop as well.  
  
“You will keep her safe,” she murmured, voice incredibly quiet, tone even harder. She met the warrior's stare, her eyes piercing into his, the warning of what would happen to him if he didn't clearly written across her expression. “Sha, Heda,” he agreed, also quiet, and for another long moment she continued to stare him down. She then nodded, just a single, fluid movement, and then stepped past him, arms once again swinging behind her back so that one hand could close around the opposite wrist. Two children walked along beside her, both with wide grins and excited footsteps, while Ryder continued to trail after them. She knew the warrior would likely remain as her shadow at least until the Coalition Celebrations were over, and though she didn't particularly care for having an extra shadow once again, she understood the necessity and therefore chose not to fight it, at least for the moment.  
  
Clarke watched the four of them walk off, shaking her head as Jojesh moved over to her. She hadn't been able to hear what had been said, but had noticed the interaction and could guess what it had been about. When the big warrior looked at her, she gave him a sympathetic smile, one that he returned with a simple nod. Her bodyguard was not often one to smile, a trait she'd picked up on while traveling with him when he and the other Keerie warriors had kidnapped her, and one that continued to be prevalent even now with his new queen and the great shift she had brought to the Ice Nation.  
  
“So Clarke,” she heard Octavia say, pulling her attention to the younger warrior. She felt her eyes rolling even before the girl could continue, the brunette's smirk and single raised eyebrow telling her all she needed to know. “How was your 'talk' with Lexa last night? You two must have had a lot to say to keep you away all night.”  
  
“Oh I am so not having this conversation with you,” Clarke groaned, shaking her head, causing Octavia's grin to just grow. “Okay fine,” the younger girl said, giving a little shrug of her shoulders. She looked up at Jojesh then. “What did you think of their talk? You were gone all night too, and considering you almost never let Clarke out of your sight, I'm guessing you got front row seats to this talk of theirs.” The blonde felt her cheeks grow hotter than ever and knew she must be blushing, and only felt it get worse when she noticed Jojesh's neck had turned pink, flushing as well.  
  
“I... There were no seats,” the big warrior just began, clearly getting caught up a little on the Sky People saying, and then he looked at Clarke and then quickly away again. “But you will be happy to know Ubroukai that the walls of Polis Tower are quite thick.”  
  
“You really don't have to guard me at night, Jojesh,” she told him, trying to ignore her blush. “I mean, or at all for that matter, but definitely not at night. Once I'm in the tower, you should come back here and get some rest. You deserve it.”  
  
Clearly, he did not agree at all, and she knew it even before she finished speaking. Any trace of embarrassment wiped from his expression, his jaw simply squaring stubbornly, and already she wanted to let out a defeated sigh. This was a look she'd become all too familiar with.  
  
“I will not leave you unguarded, Ubrouakai,” he informed her, head tilting up. “You have many enemies, especially here. They are all waiting for the moment they believe your guard is down: I will not give them the opportunity to strike. The Sankru prince has already tried, and it was only luck Ontari spotted him. I will not count on luck again.”  
  
“Yeah, so what exactly happened with this Sankru branwada?” Octavia wanted to know, finally pushing herself to her feet. She lost all traces of teasing, suddenly serious as she looked at Clarke, clearly studying her to make sure she looked okay. She slipped her sword back into the sheathe along her back, but the queen didn't fail to notice the way her fingers momentarily flexed against its grip. “I heard bits and pieces of it, but not the whole thing. He tried to shoot you? And _Ontari_ saved you?” Her disbelief was obvious, and Clarke gave her a nod.  
  
“That's what happened, yes,” she told the younger girl, shrugging when Octavia quirked an eyebrow at her. “Hey, I get it, I can't say I wasn't surprised too, but it's what happened.”  
  
“So now what are we doing about it?” the young warrior demanded, one fist going to her hip.  
  
“Right now, nothing,” Clarke answered, and when Octavia opened her mouth to argue and even Jojesh looked like he wanted to say something, she held up a hand, cutting them both off. “I'm not letting it go,” she told them, giving them both a look. “But I'm not screaming for blood either. We have to be careful right now: one wrong move and it'll be war, and that's the last thing we want. So for now just trust me, okay?” Jojesh nodded, always ready to do as his queen demanded even if he hated letting those go who thought to hurt her, and Octavia studied her for a second before giving a shrug.  
  
“Okay,” she simply agreed, at least some of the tension leaving her muscles. “I think I've been around you enough by now to know to listen to you when you say you have a plan. Just don't let this go for too long, or more people will be trying to shoot arrows into you.”  
  
“I won't,” Clarke promised, finally giving in when Sef began twisting in her arms, pushing against her to try to get down. She set him back on the ground, watching him as he immediately pushed himself back up, and then followed him with her eyes as he began to once again explore the area around him. “Now,” she just said, glancing briefly back to Octavia, “How'd the re-building of Tondc go? Where are Lincoln and Paten?”  
  
As Octavia launched into informing her of everything that had happened since she'd sent the three warriors to Tondc a few weeks ago, Clarke felt herself sink back into her role as queen, taking in every detail she could of her friend's story and then turning back towards those around her, trying to decide where she was most needed. She'd learned a long time ago a very simple lesson: as a leader, there was always a million things to do and see to, and now seemed like as good a time as any to start seeing to them. 

***

Lexa led the way through Polis, guiding the excited children through the busy streets. She knew people watched them as they passed, noticed the flickering of eyes, but Reese either didn't see or didn't care. The young girl walked proudly beside her, shoulders back and head held high, one hand wrapped protectively around the grip of the knife the Commander had given her many months ago now. On her other side, Thom noticed the stares, walking closer to Lexa as they passed more and more people, nearly reaching out to grab her hand at one point before he thought better of it and let his hand drop. Even after all the stares she knew he must get when he walked with Clarke he still didn't appear comfortable being at the center of attention, a feeling she remembered all too well. One of her hands moved to his shoulder, squeezing it lightly before she pulled it away, and when he looked up she flashed him a small smile.  
  
Eventually the crowds of people began to thin, busy streets melting into quiet roads, tall buildings left behind them and tapering off into smaller, more secluded structures. Many of these buildings had been abandoned long ago, some only now being restored while others had over time turned into storage space. Those furthest away from the busy city, built along grassy outcroppings rather than packed earth, now held wooden staffs and practice bows, knives meant for throwing and others meant for close combat, all manner of tools warriors used to train the next generation. She stopped at one, lifting one hand to indicate the other two should stop with her, and quickly ducked inside, emerging a second later with two training staffs, each a few inches taller than the child who would use it.  
  
“Take these,” she told them, handing over a staff to each of them before reaching back into the small building really no larger than a hut and grabbing one for herself. One corner of her mouth quirking up into a small smile, she added, “We will train using actual staffs today, rather than the sticks we began with.” She could see Reese practically bouncing, her excitement obvious, while Thom looked a little nervous, testing the staff in his grip. When he looked back up and met her smile again, he visibly relaxed, a grin growing across his face.  
  
Now armed for training, Lexa continued on, the two children just a step behind her now with Ryder still trailing dutifully along at the back, bypassing the hut without grabbing any kind of training weapon. He was not following along to join in the training, she knew, rather simply there as a precautionary safeguard, the first line of defense should someone foolishly think to attack their Heda even here, far away from the chaos of the city. For the briefest of moments she felt a tug in her chest, a shadow passing over the peace of the moment as she thought about the man who for five years had lived as her shadow and done exactly as Ryder was doing now, but she forced that thought away.  
  
They climbed along the steep rise of the hill, large rocks now lining either side of the worn pathway. If she looked back, Lexa knew she would soon be able to look out over Polis, see buildings rising from the trees and climbing towards the sky, a sight she had spent much of her life admiring, but she didn't look back. Instead she continued forward, her smile growing when she began to hear the steady _thwack_ of wood repeatedly striking against wood. Leading the way to the end of their path, she stopped after stepping out from between two large boulders, moving to the side to allow Reese and Thom to see past her.  
  
The steady incline of the hill tapered off, turning into a large clearing, grass managing to shoot up in little areas where feet hadn't yet trampled it back down. Trees of all sizes lined the clearing, light from the morning sun filtering down through green leaves that trembled in the barely noticeable breeze. Here and there were rocks, boulders that generations of warriors had used to toughen their skin, callouses forming with every strike against their hard surfaces. Her fingers gripped tighter around her staff, remembering the blood that had trickled along the sides of her hands as Anya had stood over her, ever watchful as she instructed her over and over again to strike. A soothing calm flowed through her at the sudden memory, wistfully missing the days of training with her mentor. There were other training areas in and around Polis, but this one had always been her favorite, simply because it had been Anya's favorite.  
  
Standing to one side of the clearing, they all saw the cause of the noise they had heard as they climbed up towards it, and the sight made Lexa lift her chin a little higher, pride flaring in her chest. A boy only a few years older than Reese stood there, training staff in hand, and even as they watched he continued to lash out with the weapon, striking against the trees in front of him. He pivoted, ever-light on his feet, body twisting as the training staff swung above his head, and brought the weapon down against a trunk that showed the many years of ware it had endured from countless other such training moments, the hard _smack_ ringing through the clearing.  
  
“Is that your student?” Reese asked, looking up at the Commander. Her voice broke through the boy's focus, gangly limbs he had yet to quite grow into all coming to a halt, and quickly he looked over his shoulder towards them. Seeing her, he immediately turned, one end of the staff thumping against the packed dirt as he stood straight, arm bending to hold the training weapon respectfully in front of him.  
  
“Heda,” he said, lowering his head in a brief but respectful bow. She walked forward, the two children trailing along behind her while Ryder stayed at the peak of the trail, body relatively relaxed even as his eyes never stopped scanning the woods around them. “Aden,” she replied, returning the nod. She held her free hand out, gesturing to the those trailing along beside her, and informed him, “These are two of Queen Clarke's people. This is her Second, Reese, and this is Thom. They will be training with us today.” Looking at the two children, she gestured towards the older boy. “Reese, Thom: this is my student, Aden.” Out of the corner of her eye she noticed him flush slightly, his chest sticking out a little further with the introduction.  
  
“Hi!” Thom said brightly, giving the older boy a big grin. Reese eyed him for a second, clearly trying to size him up, and then nodded. Aden's gaze flickered over both of them, but then the corners of his lips twitched into a slight smile. “Hello,” he replied, nodding to the boy and then girl.  
  
“Alright,” Lexa called, shifting her hold on her staff, and at the change in the tone of her voice, they all stood a little straighter. She felt almost giddy, the same feeling that buzzed through her whenever she could simply train for the sake of training, the feeling even stronger with the opportunity to teach these movements she loved to those who would love them as well. She nodded to Reese and Thom, telling them, “Let me see if you remember how to hold your staff.”  
  
It had been months since she'd been able to work with them, and back then they had been using sticks they had just picked up off the ground. She didn't know what kind of training they had had since or how advanced it had gotten, but as she watched them immediately sink into their stances, she knew she would quickly learn. Thom, last she knew, had given up on the warrior life, but Reese seemed as determined as ever to learn all she could about the art of the warrior, and Lexa could see improvement in her stance. She walked around both, reaching out and gently correcting Thom's stance, urging his feet just a little further apart and fixing the placement of his hands on his staff. For Reese all she had to do was tell her to lighten her grip, otherwise simply nodding at the girl. Looking over, she quirked an eyebrow at Aden and the boy immediately responded, shifting into the perfect stance. She hadn't needed to teach him that: his previous teacher had taken care of it, as Lexa knew she would. Now the Commander lifted her own staff, settling into a stance of her own as her mind quickly thought of a way to go about training these children, each at a completely different level than the other two.  
  
“Alright,” she simply said. “Let's begin.”

***

Raven groaned quietly as she sat up, hair tumbling over her shoulders. The fur she'd tried to use for sleeping had already bunched up around her waist, far too hot to allow for any kind of relief in this summer heat. All night she'd been sweating, and between the heat and the hollow ache in her left leg she'd barely gotten any sleep. After two days of traveling, getting up after a night of minimal sleep had her feeling grumpy already.  
  
“Just fantastic,” she growled out loud, voice low. The room she'd chosen in one of the buildings the Commander had given to them was small, what she had considered cozy the night before but now just felt stuffy and too fucking hot. Lifting her arm up, she grabbed her hair elastic in her teeth, ripping it from her wrist before reaching up and gathering her mass amount of hair and pulling it back into a ponytail, desperately trying to get it off of her neck. As her arms reached up behind her, she felt her tank top stick to her back and made a face.  
  
Once she no longer felt like she was drowning in her own hair, she scooted to the edge of the bed, right leg falling over it and foot settling on the hard floor. Reaching down with both hands, she moved her left leg along the mattress, wincing when it too fell over the edge and crashed down. The hollow ache flared up, pain shooting through the leg, and she growled out another curse before reaching over the side of the bed and grabbing the pants she'd left there the night before. She forced herself back into them, sliding them up over both legs and then her hips, and then settled back against the bed as she grabbed at the brace leaning against it. Inadvertently being more forceful than necessary, she quickly strapped the brace into place along her bad leg, trying to ignore the constant pain she'd felt in the damaged limb for weeks now. Not bothering to change out of her tank top, as soon as the brace was securely in place she pushed herself up off the mattress, leaning against it for just a second while she made sure she had her balance, and then made her way across the room and out the door. As she began making her way down the hallway, she let out a deep breath, fighting to keep the pain she felt from showing in her expression.  
  
She'd managed to get one of the rooms on the first floor – a feat that had been too easy, various pairs of eyes glancing at her as people made their way past her towards the stairs the night before – and now made her way back towards the entrance to the building, thinking that maybe some fresh air would help get rid of her bad mood. She'd brought some tools to tinker with, and knew that keeping her hands and mind busy was more likely to settle her down than anything else. Trying to think of where exactly she had stored them in the wagons, she continued making her way down the hall, stopping suddenly as she passed a room with its door open. Peering in, she found Bellamy lying on a bed, shirt off and arms crossed behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. Though he wasn't looking towards her, she could see his scowl all the way out in the hallway.  
  
“Jeeze, and I thought I woke up in a bad mood,” she joked, leaning against the doorway and crossing her arms in front of her. She gave him a half grin, lifting an eyebrow at him as he glanced over to her and then back up at the ceiling. “What's got your panties in a twist?”  
  
“This deal Abby and Kane made with the Commander,” he answered, his voice hard, and Raven's eyes widened. Glancing back down the hallway and not finding anybody, she stepped further into the room, closing the rickety door behind her.  
  
“Say it louder why don't you?” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “Then everyone'll know.”  
  
“They should,” he growled, sitting up and turning towards her, glaring. His jaw clenched, a clear indication of his suspicion. “They shouldn't have made this deal without talking to us first. The thirteenth _clan_? Are they serious? It's a terrible idea!”  
  
“Apparently Abby and Kane don't think so, and she's our Chancellor,” Raven pointed out, moving over so she could sit in the little chair pushed over by one of the walls. Dragging it closer to the bed, she sat down heavily on it, barely wincing as her leg protested. It didn't matter; Bellamy was too worked up to notice it.  
  
“How can they not think it's a terrible idea?” he demanded, running his fingers through his hair, a nervous tick of his she'd picked up on a while ago. “Do they really think our people are gonna go for it? Sure, things are better now with the Grounders, but that doesn't mean any of us are gonna want to become one. Just because Clarke's their queen now doesn't mean we all want to go Grounder.”  
  
“Clarke isn't _all_ of their queen, just some of them,” she pointed out, and he just gave her a look before staring back across the room, jaw jutting out stubbornly. “Yeah, I know, she's a Grounder queen and under the Commander's control,” he growled, one hand bunching into a fist, gripping at the fur on his bed. Raven rolled her eyes, already seeing where this was going, and his focus flickered back to her, his expression now only more suspicious. “That's what's happened Raven, and you know it,” he told her. “Whether she planned it or not, Clarke becoming the Ice Nation queen means that she's under the Commander's control, and now she wants the rest of us to be as well. You know Grounders are all about power, and we're the only ones left Lexa doesn't control.”  
  
“Kane made it sound like this was the only way she could think of to keep the peace between us all,” Raven argued, gritting her teeth when he only scoffed, the noise breaking from the back of his throat. “Yeah, right, as if Grounders even know what real peace is,” he muttered.  
  
If she'd gotten a good night's sleep, or if her leg wasn't aching so much, her patience might have lasted longer. As it was, she was tired, she hurt, and she was already grumpy, and he just pushed her over the edge.  
  
“What the hell do _we_ know about peace?” she spat, meeting his look with a glare as his eyes widened. “We don't know anything about these people: as far as we know, they were perfectly peaceful until we came and fucked it all up. Maybe they attacked us but we attacked them right back every time. The only ones who ever bothered to actually get to know them at all were Clarke and Octavia and Finn.” Saying his name still hurt, still made her chest ache much more painfully than her leg ever could, but she forced herself to get the name out and didn't stop. “They're the only ones out of all of us who thought peace with the Grounders was even possible, and now Clarke's a queen and your sister's one of her warriors. It might be weird and a little fucked up, but that doesn't mean it's bad. If this deal that Kane and Abby agreed to could prevent anymore fighting, then don't you think it's worth the risk? I don't necessarily trust Lexa, but I trust Clarke and Abby, and if they think this is something we should try then I'm game. Maybe you should stop sulking and realize you might have been wrong about the Grounders and get in the game too before you do anything to screw it up.”  
  
Before he could say anything she pushed herself off the chair and stalked out of the room, doing her best not to slam the door behind her as she left. She may not have been entirely successful.  
  
She left the building, mood even worse now than it had been when she woke up, and stopped only when she was finally outside, standing in the street. Even though she thought it was early, people were already bustling around, Grounders passing by their space, a few ignoring the Skaikru outside while most shot their own suspicious looks towards the people and buildings. A few guards milled around by the wagons, moving around some of the supplies they'd brought with them from Arkadia or just staring at the city. She saw Harper and Monroe with them, both giving her a wave or nod when they spotted her, motions she returned without going over to them. One of the guards turned and Raven recognized Miller's dad, the sergeant giving her a brief nod when their eyes met. He had been the only other one Kane and Abby had pulled aside the night before to tell about the Commander's proposal, and she thought that maybe he'd spent a good portion of the night and morning thinking about it too.  
  
She returned Sergeant Miller's gesture but then turned around, deciding she needed to go for a walk to try to clear her head. The exercise would do her some good, she figured, after spending so much time riding in a wagon. Her leg wouldn't necessarily like it, but she'd been dealing with it long enough now to be able to ignore it, for the most part at least.  
  
Not bothering to worry about where she was going, Raven walked, either not noticing or not caring about the strange looks she got as she strolled down the streets of Polis. Instead she thought about the night before, about how Abby and Kane had come back from their strange meeting with Clarke and the Commander and pulled her and Bellamy and Sergeant Miller aside to tell them what had been decided.  
  
She may have yelled at Bellamy, but she had to admit he had some decent points, the biggest being that people weren't going to like it when they found out, Sky People or Grounders. Life had been good since Clarke became the Queen of the Ice Nation and the alliance between the Arkers and the Grounders had been re-established, but that didn't mean any of them had forgotten everything that had happened before. Just coming into the city yesterday Raven had felt the tension, had seen the way the Grounders looked at them. There had been some interactions between the two people since the rescue mission to save Clarke, but it hadn't been much and it hadn't involved a ton of people. Kane had taken a group to help rebuild Tondc and when they'd come back it became clear that the peace with Indra was stronger than ever, but this wasn't just the Trikru. Now the Commander wanted them to become buddy-buddy with each of the other nations as well, and Raven wasn't convinced that was something they would be able to do, especially considering the looks they got whenever somebody new went by. She believed Lexa wanted peace, but she wasn't entirely sure she believed the Commander had enough power to make it happen.  
  
“You are very focused.”  
  
Raven heard the voice speak up just behind her, and almost jumped, unaware anyone had approached her. Clearly she'd been too busy trying to wrap her mind around these new developments to notice she was suddenly being followed. Turning, she found Taigon standing a couple of feet away, an easy smile already pulling at his lips. Relaxing a little as she realized she knew who it was behind her, she returned the smile with a partial grin.  
  
“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” she replied, giving a little shrug. She waited, letting him catch up to her, and noticed another man following him, an easy expression on his face. The man was older, gray streaks showing here and there in his long beard, skin leathery with a few wrinkles etched into it. Kind eyes twinkled beneath bushy eyebrows, and when he caught Raven looking at him he winked, giving her a little nod. Over one shoulder, she caught sight of the handle of a sword.  
  
Taigon clearly noticed her looking at the man, as he gestured between the two, telling her, “Raven, this is Renn. My sister has decided I require a guard for the next few weeks. Renn, this is Reiven kom Skaikru.”  
  
The warrior grinned, bushy eyebrows raising. “You do,” he agreed, nodding, “Need watching.” Eyes flashing over to Raven, his grin grew, bowing his head slightly. “Hei, Reiven kom Skaikru.”  
  
“Hey, Ren kom Trikru,” Raven replied, returning the nod. Taigon started forward and she moved with him, Renn remaining a few feet behind to give them space to talk. It felt strange to Raven, being followed, but Taigon didn't seem to even notice, probably more used to this than he would care to admit.  
  
“So what is it you are so focused on?” the healer asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “And why come so far to think on it?” At that, Raven glanced around, realizing that she had absolutely no idea where she was. As she'd been thinking she'd been walking, paying no attention to where she was going, and had managed to leave the one street she knew. Apparently it was a good thing Taigon had come along, or she might have been stuck wandering the streets aimlessly until she managed to find her way back.  
  
Rather than admitting to being lost, she just shrugged. “I needed to go for a walk,” she answered, returning his look. “I had a lot on my mind and didn't get much sleep. Figured some exercise might help.”  
  
Taigon's brow furrowed, his concern clear. “Is there something wrong with your room?” She shook her head, telling him, “Nah, it was just the heat. I have a hard time sleeping when it's so hot.”  
  
“Ah,” he said, nodding. “I have a hard time sleeping in the heat as well sometimes. Hopefully it will break soon and cool off a little.”  
  
“Mm,” she agreed, mind not entirely on their conversation and instead still partially focused on what she'd been thinking about before he showed up. Letting out a sigh, she rubbed the back of her neck, trying to relieve some of the tension there. Looking around, she noticed no one else was particularly close to them, so she added quietly, “And you know, I was a little distracted by your sister's plan; that made it even harder to sleep.”  
  
Beside her, she saw him frown, giving her a curious look.  
  
“My sister's plan?” he asked, clearly puzzled, and she let out a little sigh. “Yeah, your sister's plan,” she repeated. Seeing him still looking confused, she rolled her eyes. “Abby and Kane told me, you don't need to play dumb.” Looking over, she saw his jaw clenching, eyes flickering across her face, clearly still in the dark, and her eyes widened. “Wait, you don't know?” she asked, a little dumbfounded, and felt like smacking herself in the forehead. Before she could, she felt him grab her upper arm, glancing around quickly before pulling her off the street and between a couple of buildings. Renn followed, still keeping his distance, and then stood by the road, staring anyone down who thought to come that way.  
  
Taigon pulled Raven aside, eyes darting around for anyone listening, and then let go only when they stood in the shade of one of the tradesmen's workshops. As soon as they were alone, he turned back to the Sky girl, giving her a look as she scowled, clearly inwardly cursing at herself.  
  
“What is my sister planning?” he asked, voice incredibly low, barely audible even to her. The mechanic just glared, throwing her hands up as she whispered harshly, “I thought you knew! You're her brother, how is it she didn't tell you?!”  
  
“Raven,” he said, cutting her off, not breaking his stare. “I need you to tell me: what is my sister planning?” She hesitated for a second, clearly debating whether or not she should say anything, and then finally gave up. Checking around her first to be sure they were alone, she informed him quietly, “She wants to make us the thirteenth clan. She proposed the idea to Abby and Kane last night and they accepted. I guess it's the only way to prevent another war.”  
  
“Jok,” he swore quietly, one hand clenching into a fist at his side while the other covered his eyes. “Leksa chit yu dula?” Except he knew what she was doing: he knew her better than anyone else, save for maybe Clarke, so of course he knew why she was doing this and he should have seen it coming. He hadn't, but he should have.  
  
Taking a second to roughly rub his fingers against his brow, his hand then dropped as he shook his head. Looking back at Raven, he told her, “This must remain quiet. If the other clans found out before she was ready to announce it, they would want blood.” The sky girl rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “Duh,” she agreed. “You think I didn't figure that out already? The only reason I mentioned it to you was because I thought you knew. Seriously, why didn't she tell you?”  
  
“Lexa does not often share her plans with me,” he answered, a twinge of something flashing across his face that made Raven frown. “She is my sister, but I am just a healer, not one of her advisers.”  
  
“Well if I'da known I wouldn't have said anything,” she replied, and he shook his head. “No, I am glad you did,” he told her. “It is good to know ahead of time that this is happening.” He stared off then, probably trying to think of everything this could mean, and she studied him.  
  
“So this is bad,” she finally said, going off of his reaction to the news. “Like, worse than I originally thought?” He hesitated, turning her words over for a moment, and then just shrugged.  
  
“It will be a challenge,” he finally answered. “It would be a challenge to get the clans to agree to this just one at a time: instead she must find a way to convince them all at once. Very few of them will like it, and if enough of them decide that her plan could put their people in danger...” He shook his head, fist clenching. “It will not go well for the coalition or for Lexa.”  
  
“Great,” Raven muttered, sarcasm dripping. “This is just going to be great.” He looked down at her, momentarily confused, before reading her expression and understanding.  
  
“Yes,” he agreed. “It may be... great.” She let out a long sigh, wishing she had her tools with her. She desperately needed to tinker with something, needed to build or break or even just make something go boom so that she could let out this fizzling energy spreading through her gut. Their conversation had done nothing to ease her mind, and now she could see her own worry reflecting back at her in dark green eyes.  
  
They stood there for another few moments, each thinking their own thoughts, before Taigon's eyes flickered back towards the street, and he took in a deep breath, the tension almost visibly leaving him. “Come,” he simply said, gesturing towards the street, “We should go. There is no use worrying over this right now; Lexa and the Chancellor have made their decisions and whatever will happen will happen. For now perhaps you would like a tour of the city?”  
  
Part of her wished she could shrug her own worry off as easily, but when she met his eyes again she could still see it all right there. Clearly he'd learned how to compartmentalize, something she just now realized he'd have to be good at as the Commander's brother. Trying to do the same, she took a silent breath and then forced a grin.  
  
“Yeah,” she told him, “Sounds like a good plan. Show me this big fancy city of yours.” He smiled, actually looking more at ease, and led the way back out into the street. Renn grinned as they passed him, and then followed along after them.  
  
The two walked together, Taigon pointing to various buildings as they went and explaining their purpose or who lived there. He pointed out his favorite meat vendor, stopping and smiling at the elderly woman behind the counter who smiled back and gave them each a sample, as well as one of his favorite herb stalls. Another they passed had an entire line of bowls and vases spread out along its surface, beautiful designs etched into them. Animal hides hung from frames, children's toys lined shelves, and delicious smells wafted through the air. Raven had never seen so much activity before or so many people bartering for goods, it all almost making her dizzy as she tried to take it in. Her favorite place of all was a little shop whose walls and shelves were lined with more tools than she'd ever known existed. At first as she walked around the little old man inside the shop watched her from squinted eyes, but as soon as he realized she actually knew what many of them were for he was following her around, grabbing tools and speaking excitedly, a broken combination of Trigedasleng and Gonasleng. Taigon grinned as he watched the two move around the shop, both clearly excited to have found a kindred spirit.  
  
Finally the healer managed to drag Raven out of the tool shop, the mechanic promising the owner that she would be back, and they rejoined Renn out in the street. It took a second for Taigon to pull his attention away from the excited Sky girl, glad to see all her worry from before had finally dissipated. When he did he looked at Renn, finding the usually calm warrior tense, his focus on someone standing down the street a few buildings away. Recognizing this new person after only a second, Taigon felt his good mood suddenly drop. Raven, smile slowly falling as she realized something had shifted, followed his gaze, staring at the man and clearly trying to remember why he looked familiar. Out of the corner of his vision, the healer saw her eyes widen, clearly suddenly placing him.  
  
“Isn't that the guy always following Clarke around?” she asked, glancing at the healer. Without answering, Taigon began forward, walking quickly towards him, Raven following as fast as she could. Renn moved up, passing her and then Taigon, placing himself between them and the other warrior, fingers gripping the knife at his belt. Considering the other warrior had his sword in hand, Raven was a little surprised Renn chose the knife over his own sword.  
  
“Jojesh,” Taigon called, voice hard. “What are you doing? Where is Clarke?” The warrior didn't answer, didn't even glance their way, and Raven followed his gaze, eyes widening when she found what he was looking at.  
  
“Skrish,” she heard Taigon mutter.  
  
Hidden in an alley out of easy sight, she found Clarke, as well as the man she had pressed against a brick wall, a knife flashing at his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm leaving you on a bit of a cliffhanger. We'll find out quickly in the next chapter how Clarke got herself into this position. In the meantime, yay Aden's been introduced, boo Bellamy's being a Sky Rat (I know, many of you hate them, and I don't exactly love them either), and Taigon's showing Raven around Polis. Also next chapter I will be introducing a number of new characters, including someone who I think is going to be one of my new favorites who I hope many of you will love too. So a lot to look forward to!
> 
> Happy Holidays my wonderful readers, and here's to the end of an overall terrible year and the start of one that is hopefully a lot better! :)
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> Sankru branwada – Desert clan idiot  
> "Jok" - "Fuck"  
> "Leksa chit yu dula?" - "Lexa what are you doing?"  
> "Skrish" - "Shit"


	6. Chapter 5

_Earlier_

Clarke strolled through the busy streets, taking in the sights and sounds of Polis in the mid-morning. As the sun had risen higher, the hustle and bustle had only increased, now more people than she could ever remember seeing in such a condensed place constantly moving around her. Most people moved out of her way as she walked, clearly wary of the stranger with the bodyguard just behind her even if they didn't immediately know who she was, while others completely ignored her. A few brushed against her as they ran or walked by, shouting over their shoulder at her, and whenever they did she had to fight to keep from smiling. After being stared at wherever she went, it felt kind of good to be able to go unnoticed for a change, to melt into a crowd as easily as anyone else. She could tell Jojesh hated it, the warrior moving up so close to her that she could practically feel him behind her, but she loved it.  
  
After speaking with Octavia, she'd gone around to everyone, checking in with her people and making sure they'd all been able to get settled, helping wherever she could. Some had welcomed her more readily than others; Niylah and Luca had gladly accepted her assistance with unpacking one of the wagons, both happily filling her in on their first night in the big city, while Ontari had glared at her the moment she saw her, clearly having no desire to speak with her queen. She'd decided to leave the other girl alone, to give her some space, and moved on to the next person.  
  
Once she'd made sure that all of her people had settled in, she and Jojesh had left once again, this time to visit the Skaikru. The warrior had clenched his jaw as they walked away, obviously not happy that she decided to leave, but had followed along behind her as always. Even then when the roads had been less crowded he'd stuck to her, constantly scanning the area and looking for any signs of danger. He loosened up slightly once they reached the Sky People, allowing more space between them as Clarke and her mother took some time to catch up, but as soon as their time together ended and she stepped back out into the streets, he was once again directly behind her.  
  
“ _Relax, Joujesh,_ ” she finally told him quietly, flashing him a little smile over her shoulder. “ _Everything is fine._ ”  
  
“ _You have enemies everywhere, Unbroken,_ ” he replied quickly, not even glancing down at her, afraid to take his eyes off the crowd for even a second. “ _Enemies that will take any opportunity they can find to take you out. I will not let that happen._ ”  
  
“I know you won't,” she said, switching over to Gonasleng. Now it was her turn to scan the crowds, far more relaxed than she knew he was but still picking up on as many of the things going on around her as possible. “And I know I have enemies.”  
  
They continued walking for a few minutes, strolling at a much more leisurely pace than Jojesh cared for, but Clarke couldn't help but take some time to look at the vendors and stalls around them. She knew that once the actual ceremonies started tomorrow she would have far less time to take in the city than she wanted, so decided she would try to take in as much as possible now while she could. The first vendor she stopped at clearly didn't know who she was, giving her a hasty nod as he did the rest of those milling around his stand, but the second gave her a wide smile, nodding her head respectfully at her, and soon the rest of the vendors seemed to pick up on who she was. Clearly her story had gone around Polis, the Trikru there learning about her defiance against first the Mountain and then the Queen of the Ice Nation, and now she had calls of “Wanheda!” echoing around her, countless people smiling or bowing their heads to her in respect. She answered as many as she could with a smile or nod in return, trying to politely refuse the samples of foods thrust out at her or people calling to her from behind counters to try to get her to come over and take a closer look at their goods. It took her longer than expected to make it down one street to turn to another, and once they finally did she could nearly feel some of the tension leak out of the warrior behind her.  
  
This new street was far less crowded than the previous one, and here no one called out any of her titles or tried to get her attention. Here she could walk in peace without anyone thrusting a free sample of anything under her nose, and she relished in the anonymity the quiet brought with it. She continued down the street, this time keeping a little distance between herself and these new stalls to try to prevent herself from being recognized, and sunk into the chaotic noise of the city without making herself the center of it all.  
  
A few minutes into this new section of the city, Clarke's gaze landed on someone she recognized and she felt her back straighten. She honed in on him, no longer simply strolling along, and felt Jojesh stiffen behind her when he realized who she was approaching.  
  
“Ubroukai...” she heard him warn quietly, the shift in his movement telling her his hand had fallen to the sword strapped at his waist. She didn't respond, didn't make any indication she had even heard, and instead plastered a polite smile along her face.  
  
“Haihefa Hektar,” she called out as the space between them diminished, watching as the Sankru king's eyes settled on her. A brief something flashed across his face before he could stop it, but then the next moment his expression fell into one of calm recognition.  
  
“Kwin Klark,” he greeted, stepping away from the stall where he had been studying various vases and bowls. He glanced up briefly at Jojesh, clearly taking in the warrior's less-than-friendly stance, but then almost immediately looked back at the blonde. His own body language didn't change, his hands coming together in front of him in a way that made it clear he didn't feel threatened at all. Clarke simply continued to smile politely at him, pretending not to notice her warrior's stance or the king's. “You are exploring Polis, I see.”  
  
“I am,” she replied, nodding once. Glancing around them for just a second, her smile grew slightly, genuine. “This city is beautiful, but there's a lot to explore.”  
  
“Sha,” he agreed. “There is much to see here.” She looked back at him, her mind racing but expression still calm. She'd told Lexa and Octavia that she had a plan concerning the Sankru and their attack on her, and while it was really only half a plan so far, now might be the best time to put it in motion. She had an opportunity here, one she didn't know if she would get again, and had to take it.  
  
“Haihefa Hektar, would you join me for a few minutes?” she asked, still smiling at him. She felt Jojesh stiffen even further behind her and saw the king's brow crease, and simply added, “I haven't had the chance to thank you for sending your son to escort me and my people to the city.”  
  
The king of the Desert Clan studied her for just a second, seeing nothing but her simple smile, and then finally nodded, replying, “Of course Kwin Klark. It would be my honor.”  
  
“Mochof,” she told him, and then turned to her warrior. “Jojesh, you can stay here while the king and I talk.”  
  
“Ubroukai,” he tried to argue, eyes flashing from him to her, fingers curling around the handle of his sword, but she just raised her eyebrows at him, the smile slipping away. “I gave an order, Jojesh,” she replied, tone no longer as light as it had been a moment ago. “You will follow it.” The warrior stared at her for a second, an inner debate clearly taking place inside his head as he tried to decide whether he should defy her or not, but the moment he clenched his jaw, she knew he'd given in.  
  
“Sha, Ubroukai,” he merely replied, bowing his head to her, and she returned the bow with a nod before turning back to the king. The man had watched the interaction, clearly surprised she wanted to walk without a guard, but he didn't say anything. Instead he simply gestured for her to lead the way but before Clarke turned to do so she saw something flash across his face once again. Warning bells went off in her head, the hair on the back of her neck standing up as she felt him watching her, and she knew he suddenly saw this as an opportunity to finish what he had started the day before. She didn't let her knowledge of this show, made sure she walked with ease as she led the way, but she felt her entire self focus on the man walking just barely behind her.  
  
“I'm sorry I wasn't able to thank you and your son yesterday,” she said, trying to strike up a conversation to keep him distracted. She flashed him a smile over her shoulder, one he politely returned. “It was all a little hectic, trying to get everyone settled in.”  
  
“Of course,” he agreed, hands still clasped in front of him, no hint of anything but polite conversation in his tone. “I am just glad you made it here safely.”  
  
“So am I,” Clarke told him as she continued walking, body on high alert and listening for any unexpected movement behind her. She looked ahead, seeing a small opening between two buildings, and continued towards it. What she needed to do couldn't be done out here in the crowded streets, and she felt her focus split between it and the man behind her. He said something, something she barely registered but which she nodded back to, and didn't take her eyes off of the opening. Every step brought them closer to it, and the closer they got the harder her heart pounded in her chest. Just a couple more steps...  
  
The moment the opening was beside them, Clarke didn't hesitate. With no warning at all she twisted, shoving the king between the two buildings and he stumbled back, the push taking him completely by surprise. He'd been studying her but had seen nothing to indicate she had such strength and hadn't noticed her focus shift. As he stumbled back, she followed, slipping in right behind him.  
  
The space was small, narrow, very different from the street they'd been on, but most importantly it was unoccupied. With the way the buildings were positioned, the shadow of one fell over the other, leaving the alleyway darker than the street. It was perfect, and just what the queen needed.  
  
After stumbling back a few steps, Hektar finally managed to control his balance, one hand darting down to the knife always at his belt. Clarke saw the hand drop and grabbed for her own knife, its hilt between her fingers no more than a second later. She moved faster than the Desert king had believed possible for an invader, one foot coming out to wrap around his and yanking it to the side in an attempt to push him off his balance again. Rather than jump away from him as his hand curled around his knife she moved closer, her hip smashing into his and making him stumble back again while her elbow came down hard on his arm. He grunted slightly at the pain, surprised by the young woman's speed, and tried to strike out with his knife, but before he could get close she twisted away. Before he could pull his knife back, her free hand darted out, grabbing at his wrist and with a strength he didn't know she possessed, she forced his arm back and up, twisting it behind him. The hilt of her knife came down hard on his forearm, and the next moment his weapon was falling to the ground. She kicked it further into the alley and pushed him forward, using both of their weight to shove him against the side of one of the buildings. Hektar tried to shake her off of him, but immediately stilled when he felt the sharp edge of her knife press into the junction of his neck.  
  
“ _Idiot,_ ” she spat, all polite smiles suddenly gone. “ _Is that what you think I am? Do you really think I don't know you sent your son to kill me?_ ” He didn't say anything, just tried to glare at her even with the side of his face pressed against stone. She stood pressed against his back, his arm still twisted between them and her knife still at his neck, and he could feel the fury rolling off of her. “ _You hate me so much you would risk your son's life?_ ”  
  
“ _You do not belong here,_ ” he growled, trying to turn his head so he could see her better. “ _You are an invader and a threat. The Woods Clan and Ice Nation may not see it, but the rest of the clans can. We will never accept you as one of us!_ ”  
  
“ _You don't have to,_ ” she shot back, tightening her grip on his wrist. “ _No clan has the right to decide who leads another clan. Not even the Commander can interfere with other clans like that._ ”  
  
“ _You think you know our laws?_ ” he spat, trying to move but stilling when he felt the pressure of the knife increase. It hadn't yet broken the skin, but anymore and it would.  
  
“ _Apparently I know them better than you,_ ” she countered. “ _You sent your son to kill me; any clan that attacks another isn't just attacking those people but the entire coalition. I have every right to declare war on you, and by law the coalition would be on my side. You put every one of your people in danger, just to try to kill me_.”  
  
“ _They wouldn't,_ ” he began, voice catching a little when her elbow pressed harshly into his back. “ _The other clan leaders want you dead, they wouldn't turn against me._ ”  
  
“ _Are you sure?_ ” she wanted to know. “ _They might want me dead, but do they want it enough to go against the Commander?_ ” She felt him stiffen, and knew her words had struck a cord. “ _The Commander created these laws and will follow them no matter what. She knows why Init was with me yesterday; the only reason she hasn't declared war on you yet is because I chose to play dumb, chose to ignore what you did. All I have to do is change my mind, and the Commander will follow her law and so will any clan that still wants to be part of the coalition. Are you sure your people are ready for that fight?_ ” He remained silent, clearly not having anything to say to that, so she let the words settle over them. As she gave him time to think of his people, her own thoughts flickered to hers, and without entirely meaning to her grip on his wrist tightened, fingers digging into the space between his bones. He flinched but she ignored it, her fury mounting beneath her skin. The gut-gnawing fear she hadn't allowed herself to focus on ever since Ontari walked up to her with a warrior at knife-point hit her hard and fast, twisting and twining along with her anger. Sef had been in front of her. He'd been sitting in front of her, and Thom and Reese had both been beside her. If Enit had shot and missed, she could have lost any one of them. It was the thought she'd been trying to keep herself from thinking, but now it was there, growing and festering inside her.  
  
“ _If you ever put any of my people in danger again, I won't hesitate,_ ” she swore, the words spoken in cold fury. The pressure of the knife increased, breaking the skin beneath it in the smallest of cuts. “ _I don't care if you keep trying to kill me, but if you put any of them in danger, I will make sure you live to regret it._ ” She could feel him swallow beneath her knife's blade. “ _Do you understand me?_ ”  
  
“ _I understand,_ ” he grunted, still glaring at her, but his expression had changed slightly, something akin to fear flashing across his face for no more than a second. “ _Good,_ ” she replied, not breaking her focus from him even as she heard her name called back in the street. Voice lowering even further and speaking quickly, she informed him, “ _For now however you and your son's life belong to me. If I wanted to, I could demand your deaths, but I'm not going to. I'm not going to because you are going to act like you accept me as queen. I don't care whether you actually do or not, but you are going to act like it. If other clans have a problem with me or my people, you are going to be on my side, got it?_ ”  
  
“ _I will never-,_ ” he began, outraged, but she cut him off. “ _You will,_ ” she continued, grip not loosening on either the knife or his wrist even as she heard footsteps approaching. “ _If you care about your son's life, if you care about_ your _life, you will. You will side with me, or I will make sure you and your son are both dead before the end of the Coalition Celebrations. Do you understand?_ ”  
  
Before he could answer, the footsteps got louder, and she pushed herself away from him, sheathing her knife in one swift motion as she stepped away. It seemed to take him a moment to register she had moved, but as soon as he did he turned, finally breaking away from the wall. When he did, he noticed the Commander's brother entering the alleyway.  
  
“Clarke,” he called again, expression drawn as his eyes flickered between them. “King Hektar. What is going on?”  
  
Clarke gave Taigon a quick smile, in no way looking like she just had the king pressed up against a wall with her knife at his throat. “Taigon,” she greeted, “King Hektar and I were just talking. He was just telling me how much he's looking forward to working with me for the next couple of weeks. Weren't you, Hektar?” She leveled a look at him, raising an eyebrow slightly, and the king met it, jaw clenched as he debated his choices. Finally, lips pursed tightly, he nodded once, stiffly.  
  
“Sha,” he answered, voice clipped. “It will be very... interesting.” He glanced at the Commander's brother and the girl who had stopped just behind him, and back at the Ice Queen, the line of his mouth tightening further. “For now however I have things I should see to. Taigon.” He paused and then nodded to the blonde. “Kwin Klark.” She returned the nod and then he moved, first going over to where his knife had been kicked away and picking it up, and then sheathing it as he met the queen's eyes once again. Hard blue shined back at him, and it took every bit of control he had to lift his head up and calmly walk past them, leaving the small party behind. When he passed the queen's warrior, the king could easily read the warning in the clench of the man's jaw and the stiffness of his shoulders. At some point while they'd been in the alleyway he'd taken his sword out, and now the warrior's grip on it tightened. As the king walked away, he could feel the man's eyes following him, and had to clench his own jaw harder as he kept his head up.  
  
Raven watched him walk away and then turned back to the blonde, raising an eyebrow as she folded her arms across her torso. “I see you're making friends, like always,” she commented drily. “Not even here a full day and there's already someone who wants to kill you.” Clarke met her look, lifting both eyebrows as she reminded her, “There's more than just one person in this city that wants me dead, Raven.” The mechanic shrugged, giving in a little, but said, “You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?”  
  
“Clarke, what was that about?” Taigon demanded, fists clenching at his sides. Eyes glancing down the street where Hektar had last been seen, he asked, “Did he try to attack you again?” Not giving her a chance to answer, his eyes narrowed, glaring at Jojesh. “Why weren't you with her? You are supposed to protect her!” The queen reached out, resting her hand against his forearm, and told him, “It wasn't Jojesh's fault; I told him to wait for me in the street.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw the warrior's lips purse, clearly still not pleased with the order. From the way the muscles in Taigon's arms shifted at her words, the healer wasn't any happier about them.  
  
“You did what?” he asked, clearly shocked. She saw anger and fear flash across his face at the same time he clenched his jaw, and realized she'd never seen him look so much like his sister. “Clarke, Hektar is a warrior, the king of his clan! He could have killed you; he tried to kill you yesterday!”  
  
“And I needed him to let his guard down,” she insisted, not backing down. “That wasn't going to happen with Jojesh right beside me.” Taigon opened his mouth to say something else, but Raven cut him off.  
  
“Don't even bother trying to knock any sense into her,” she advised, leaning back against one of the walls. She met the healer's eyes and then looked back at the blonde, the corners of her mouth quirking up just slightly as she spoke. “She does stupid stuff like this all the time, and somehow it always works out for her.” They both noticed Clarke roll her eyes but not say anything in response. Taigon studied her for a second, and then shook his head.  
  
“You and Lexa are too alike,” he simply said. “You both put yourselves in unnecessary danger.”  
  
“What Hektar and I talked about was very necessary,” the queen informed him, chin tilting up just a bit, and he nearly shook his head again. “You will always think so,” he told her, “And maybe it is, I don't know.” He smirked suddenly, lips barely pulling up as he met her look, telling her, “But I do not think I want to be there when Lexa hears about this. And you,” he turned to Jojesh, the warrior still standing stiffly near his queen, “Would do well to be far, far away when she learns of it. For most things my sister has an endless supply of patience, but in this, you will find she reacts quickly and without mercy.” The warrior simply met his look, face still entirely blank except for the clench of his jaw that hadn't lessened since the Desert king disappeared from their sight. His queen, however, grinned.  
  
“I think we'll be okay,” she just said. “She'll glare at me for a few minutes and tell me what I did was dangerous, but then she'll realize it was important and get over it.” Taigon let out a little noise from the back of his throat, something that almost sounded like a scoff, and had to shake his head again because he knew she was entirely right. For many people his sister was a cold mystery, but to perhaps just the two of them, she was entirely predictable. In some ways, at least.  
  
With that, Clarke let the subject of the Desert king drop and everyone else seemed ready to let it go as well. She could see Jojesh standing stiffly beside her out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel a little guilty for putting him in this situation. What she'd said about needing the king to let his guard down had been true, but she knew her warrior's anxiety level must have been incredibly high, being forced to just stand back and watch. Rather than continue exploring like she wanted, she decided to take pity on him. Looking back at Taigon and Raven, she offered, “But now that that's taken care of, I have to go back to my people. Do you want to walk with us?” At her words, she could practically feel Jojesh relax slightly beside her, finally re-sheathing his sword at his side. She could tell by the way Taigon's expression softened he knew what she was doing, but the healer didn't say anything.  
  
“Why not?” Raven replied, shrugging her shoulders as she pushed herself back off the wall. “Let's go watch you be all queenly. That'll be entertaining.” Again Clarke wanted to roll her eyes, but this time she managed to stop herself. Taigon just smiled, giving her a nod, and as a group they left the alley, another warrior joining them as they stepped back out into the street. With the way the man immediately moved towards Taigon, Clarke didn't have to wonder what he was doing there. She tried to hide her grin, but knew she wasn't entirely successful; leave it to Lexa to assign her brother a bodyguard while countless newcomers flooded their city.  
  
To Jojesh's relief, they managed not to run into anymore trouble during the walk back to the Azgeda encampment. To Clarke's, nothing terrible seemed to have happened while she was gone. Niylah and Luca were talking to a few passersby about some of their trading goods, Luca giving her a happy grin when he saw her, Niylah flashing her a small smile. Kila sat on the ground, working on a weaving she'd brought with her and trying to tune out her babbling grandson beside her. His grandfather was supposed to be watching him, but Clarke could tell that Kurtis kept getting distracted by the people going by in the streets. Because of this, Echo stood not far away, a small smirk tugging at her lips as she watched the young boy. The queen could see she had something in her hands but couldn't tell what until Sef started to toddle away from his grandparents. Before he'd gone more than a couple of steps, Echo carefully tossed one of whatever it was out, the little rock landing near enough Sef that the movement caught his attention. Curiosity got the better of him, and he turned away from the street and towards the rock, moving over to inspect it. She didn't see Callie or Nygel anywhere or Ontari or Roan, the latter two of those missing worrying her more than the first, but decided to push that worry away. Octavia, Lincoln and Paten all stood near the building, using its shade to try to beat the intense summer heat. Lincoln was the first of the three to notice them, smiling as they approached, and the next second the other two turned, Paten's focus falling solely on the blonde while Octavia grinned at the mechanic walking next to her. Out of the corner of her eye, Clarke saw Raven return the grin.  
  
“Looks like someone's fallen right into the Grounder life,” she called out, smirking at the other brunette. “Your brother's gonna be so disappointed. I'm pretty sure a part of him was hoping you'd get here and tell him you wanted to go back to Arkadia.”  
  
“No way,” Octavia replied, shaking her head as she moved towards them. “There's no way I'm going back there.” Smile growing as she got closer, her expression shifted slightly, a hint of sincerity coloring her tone as she admitted, “I do miss him, though.”  
  
“Just him?” Raven asked, lifting an eyebrow before touching her hand to her chest. “I'm hurt.” Clarke and Octavia shared a look, the queen shaking her head while the warrior rolled her eyes. “And you, Raven,” she informed her, “I miss you too.”  
  
“We both do,” Clarke added, and Raven's grin grew. “Of course you do,” she simply said. “Why wouldn't you? I'm awesome.”  
  
“I imagine you would be welcome in Keerie,” Lincoln informed her, moving up beside his love. Looking first at the queen and then back to Raven, he added, “If you also wanted to leave Arkadia.” Shifting his focus from her, he smiled at the healer on her other side. “Taigon,” he greeted, reaching an arm out, the other man immediately clasping it with his own.  
  
“Lincoln,” Taigon replied, matching his smile. “It's good to see you happy, my friend.” At the same time Raven shook her head, crossing her arms over her torso once again.  
  
“As much as I miss you both, I don't think I'll be leaving Arkadia,” she told them. “Not any time soon, at least. I've got too many projects going on right now.” Clarke grinned, raising an eyebrow as she asked, “Yeah? How many things have you blown up with these projects?” Rather than say anything, the mechanic just smirked, clearly proud of herself, and it was all the answer she needed. “I thought so. You're always welcome in Keerie Raven, but maybe you can leave your projects in Arkadia?”  
  
“Hey, how many times has my blowing things up saved your ass?” Raven wanted to know, and this time it was Clarke's turn to remain quiet. The other girl just nodded, smirk growing. “Exactly.” She reached forward then, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders, yanking them closer to her. “Really though, I probably should join you guys. Who's gonna keep you out of trouble if I'm not there?”  
  
Both Jojesh and Paten took a step closer as soon as Raven grabbed her, an automatic reflex, and Clarke held up her hand to them, stopping both in their tracks. Clearly the other girl noticed, her brow raising, and Clarke just smiled a little sheepishly at her. “As you can see, I have plenty of people around me whose job it is to keep me out of trouble.”  
  
Raven scoffed, the noise pulling their attention. “Yeah, as if that's gonna help. You're a trouble magnet Clarke, just accept it. You could have fifty personal bodyguards and I guarantee you'd still find something.”  
  
“Especially depending on who those guards were,” Octavia added, pulling away slightly as Raven loosened her grip on them. Giving the blonde a look, she gestured back over her shoulder. “I take it you've noticed who's missing.”  
  
Clarke let out a sigh, also pulling away from Raven, and rubbed at her forehead. “Yeah, I noticed,” she replied, and then met Octavia's look. “Does anyone know where Ontari or Roan are?” Octavia shook her head, and behind them she heard, “They left this morning.” Octavia, Lincoln and Paten turned, making way for Echo as she moved to join them, Sef now balancing easily against her hip. The little boy twisted, clearly wanting to get down, but the warrior's grip on him remained firm. She met her queen's look, telling her, “Not long after you left to visit your mother. They did not say where they were going, but Ontari looked as though she needed to hit something.”  
  
“Ontari always looks like she needs to hit something,” Clarke heard Octavia mutter, but ignored her. She could have pointed out that the brunette also often seemed to need to get her frustration out through training, but didn't. All she could do was hope that training was all Ontari was doing to get out her anger. Knowing that for the moment at least there was nothing she could do about them but try to think of a way to keep track of them both, she just asked, “What about Nygel and Callie? Where are they?”  
  
“Callie wanted to visit Abby and Kane,” Lincoln answered, slipping an arm around Octavia's side but not looking away from the queen. “Nygel went with her.” Clarke just nodded, glad she didn't have to worry about either of them.  
  
Before anyone could say anything else, they heard footsteps approaching behind them, and they all turned to see Lexa, Ryder and three children walking towards them. Thom looked tired, his arms hanging down at his side, but a happy smile tugged at his lips. Beside him, Reese looked thrilled, walking proudly with her chest puffed out. The only one of them Clarke didn't know walked calmly on Lexa's other side, his hands folded behind him in the same way the Commander's were. All three children's shirts had sweat stains around the collars and under the arms, and when she got closer Clarke could just make out the faint outline of perspiration along Lexa's collar as well. Considering she still wore the long-sleeved black shirt from the day before, the blonde wasn't at all surprised by it.  
  
Even through his clear exhaustion, Thom perked up the moment he noticed Taigon.  
  
“Taigon!” he exclaimed, smile growing, and a sudden burst of energy seemed to hit him, the boy suddenly bolting forward. The healer laughed as he ran right into him, wrapping his arms around the man's leg. “Hello Thom,” he simply greeted, settling an arm around the boy's shoulders. “Did you have a nice training session with the Commander?”  
  
“Mmhm,” he nodded, beaming up at the tall man, but then his expression grew more serious. “But I still don't think I want to be a warrior. It hurts too much. I like being a healer instead.”  
  
“What about a mechanic?” Raven wanted to know, a twinkle in her eye. Briefly meeting Clarke's eye, she grinned, saying, “I seem to remember you're a natural at making things go boom.” The queen shot her a glare, but the little boy's expression lit up once again.  
  
“Yeah!” he shouted, releasing Taigon's leg. He nearly bounced up and down, big eyes widening as he asked her, “Can we do it again, Raven? I really liked the sound of the 'splosion last time!”  
  
Before either Clarke or Raven could respond, Lexa stepped forward, the others still with her, and looked down at the little boy. “Nothing will be exploding in my city,” she informed him calmly. Looking up, she locked eyes with the mechanic, expression and voice still perfectly even as she asked, “Is that understood?” The boy let out a heavy sigh, clearly dejected, but muttered, “Yes Heda.” Lexa didn't look away from Raven, still showing nothing but calm, but her warning was all too clear. Finally the mechanic let out her own little sigh, rolling her eyes slightly as she answered, “Yeah yeah, I get it.” Clarke saw the corners of the Commander's lips twitch, clearly amused, but the other leader simply nodded.  
  
“Good,” she said, and then turned back to Thom, not bothering to hide her small smile. “You are welcome to join us in training whenever you would like Thom, but I agree, you will make a wonderful healer.” The little boy just beamed, the praise clearly everything he needed, and Clarke felt her chest grow tight, her heart swelling in her ribcage. She didn't think she'd ever be able to get over the way the big bad Commander always softened around children, and knew she never wanted to. Lexa looked up, catching her eye and smile, and couldn't help but smile back. A second later and that smile shrunk, hidden away once again behind her stoic mask, but Clarke knew it was still there, just beneath the surface and waiting to come out again. The Commander looked at the two other children still with her, and gave them a nod.  
  
“You all did well today,” she informed them. She made eye contact with Reese, and gestured towards the Azgeda camp. “You should go drink some water; after all the work we did, your body needs it. Take Thom with you, and I will see you again in the morning for more training.” The young girl nodded quickly, clearly excited by the prospect of getting to do it all over again, and then grabbed Thom's hand, pulling him back towards the building.  
  
As though a silent order had been given, the others all seemed to slip away as well, Echo returning to her uncle and aunt, Paten going over to check on how Niylah and Luca were doing, and Octavia, Lincoln, Raven and Taigon and his bodyguard moving back over to the shade. Soon only Clarke and Lexa were left, Jojesh still standing as the queen's shadow while Ryder stood as the Commander's, and the young boy standing stiffly beside her.  
  
“Clarke,” Lexa began, turning slightly towards the boy. “This is Aden, my student. Aden, this is Kwin Klark kom Azgeda.” Aden bowed his head respectfully, as Clarke figured any student of Lexa's would.  
  
“Kwin Klark,” he said, head still bent down. “It is an honor to meet you.”  
  
“It's an honor to meet you as well, Aden,” the queen replied, giving the boy a smile. Eyes flickering over to Lexa, she added, “I didn't think the Commander took on students.”  
  
“Normally I don't,” Lexa readily admitted, flashing him a small ghost of a smile. “Aden is one of the few exceptions.” Clarke could tell the young warrior was fighting not to beam as easily as Thom had under the praise, somehow managing to maintain a straight face. The only tell of his excitement was the slight crinkling around his eyes, and the fact that he bit his bottom lip for no more than a millisecond, using the gesture to hold in his grin. Lexa too kept a straight face, but Clarke could see the amusement dancing across her eyes. Head tilting up a little higher, she nodded to Aden, telling him, “You are dismissed for now, Aden. Meet me at dawn at the training field, and we will continue our work.” Immediately the boy's spine straightened, shoulders squaring back. “Sha, Heda,” he quickly agreed, and then bowed his head once again at Clarke. “Kwin Klark.” With that he turned, walking away, and Clarke watched him go, a partial grin tugging at her mouth.  
  
Looking back at Lexa as he disappeared, she lifted an eyebrow.  
  
“What was that all about?” she asked. “Since when do you take on students?” Rather than answer, the Commander instead gestured back to the street, asking her, “Would you like that tour of Polis I promised you, Clarke?” Eyeing Lexa, suddenly suspicious, the blonde studied her for a moment, and then nodded.  
  
“Sure, a tour sounds great,” she agreed, and the other girl gave her a small smile before leading her away from the Azgeda camp. As always, Ryder and Jojesh followed, keeping a respectable distance between themselves and their leaders, all while scanning the area around them.  
  
“I took Aden on as my student because I needed someone I could trust,” Lexa murmured quietly, her words clearly meant only for Clarke. Her expression remained straight, perfectly calm, as though they could be talking about anything. “Someone needs to represent Trikru during the Coalition Ceremonies.”  
  
Clarke shot her a curious look, trying to keep her expression as blank as possible so that no one would take more notice to them than they already got wherever they went. “You aren't the one who represents Trikru?”  
  
Shaking her head, Lexa informed her, “I cannot. I have to remain impartial, and so cannot stand for the clan that raised me. Someone else must. This year Indra will be doing it, but next year it will need to be someone else. Indra is a great leader, but she does not have the... patience that will be required for the next couple of weeks. I am training Aden to take on the role next year.”  
  
Clarke's brow shot up, unable to completely hide her surprise. “But he's just a kid,” she pointed out, thinking back to the boy she'd just met. Looking at him, she knew he couldn't have been more then twelve or thirteen. “Why him?”  
  
“Because he was the Second of the last person to hold the position,” the Commander said, staring straight ahead. She could see the blonde studying her out of the corner of her vision, and was unsurprised by her next question. “Who was that?” Without showing any hint of emotion, she answered simply, “Anya. She was my General, and so acted as the Trikru representative during these ceremonies.”  
  
Clarke stopped, clearly momentarily stunned by the answer, and Lexa stopped as well, giving her time to process. After a second the blonde started forward again, the Commander falling into step with her, eyes flickering over to the shorter woman.  
  
“Aden was Anya's Second?” she just asked, and Lexa gave a simple nod. The younger leader's brow furrowed, before saying, “But I thought Tris was her Second?” The Commander's jaw clenched at the name, the young girl someone she hadn't thought about in months, but then gave another nod.  
  
“Tris was Anya's most recent Second,” she answered quietly, still keeping her expression carefully blank. “She had only been her Second for a few months before she died. Before that, it was Aden. She took him on shortly after I accepted my role as Heda. She became my General, and as her Second, Aden traveled with us and was part of many meetings, both as we were trying to piece together the coalition, as well as after we finished.” Clarke noticed her nod, saw the proud smile that briefly pulled at her lips. “He is the right person to become my next General. He is not ready this year, so Indra will do it, but next year I intend for it to be him. He listens well, thinks everything over carefully, never makes a rash decision. He is also a great fighter.” When the blonde gave her a look, clearly thinking about the skinny boy she'd just met, Lexa's smile grew. “He is,” she insisted, “He is even a better warrior than I was at his age.” _That_ surprised Clarke, and she didn't even try to hide it.  
  
“Well that's... I guess I get why you made him your student, then,” she finally got out, not knowing what else to say. She noticed Lexa's lips curl up playfully, and then she leaned over, murmuring, “He does not beat my first student, but he still does well.” The blonde didn't fight her grin, just let it grow as she replied, “I'm sure your first student is happy to hear that.” They shared a look, their finger tips briefly touching down at their sides, and then Lexa forced herself to look away, having to fight down her smile.  
  
“So what do you have planned for me on this tour?” Clarke asked, needing to change the subject. Flirting with Lexa was too easy, and could even more easily lead to things they couldn't do right now. Her desire to reach out and slip her fingers between the other girl's tugged at her, strong and difficult to ignore, but she forced herself to. As though she too may be fighting the same battle, Lexa's arms folded behind her, back straightening as one hand clasped around the other wrist.  
  
“I thought we could walk by where the other clans will be staying,” she replied simply, nodding to a couple staring wide-eyed as she walked by. Glancing back over to Clarke, she added, “That way you will be able to recognize at least some of them tomorrow morning at the council meeting.” The queen nodded, clearly agreeing with the idea, and let Lexa lead the way.  
  
They didn't talk much while they walked, Lexa maintaining her perfect Commander composure, happy to simply glance over at Clarke every now and then, taking in the awe obvious in her wide eyes. For the most part the blonde managed to keep her staring to a minimal, trying to also keep up the role of queen, but there were some things she just couldn't help but let herself get lost in. She'd visited each of her own villages in the Ice Nation over the past three months, always amazed at even the smallest of them, but none of them could even begin to compare to Polis. She felt sure that she could wander these streets non-stop for a full week and still not be able to see everything by the end of it.  
  
Glancing around as well, Lexa's gaze stopped as she noticed a pair of people standing and waiting for a vendor to finish preparing their smoked rabbit. Barely brushing against the other girl's shoulder, she waited until Clarke looked at her, and then nodded to them.  
  
“Do you see the two over there, getting food?” she asked, and after following her gaze, the blonde nodded. “You see the tattoos running down their necks? That marks them as Ouskejon, the Blue Cliff Clan. They are Halen and Hutch. Hutch is one of the personal guards for their leader, Esta, while Halen is one of her advisers.” With their backs to the two leaders, Clarke allowed herself a moment to study the two. Hutch's long dark hair hung past his shoulder blades, no obvious braids in it that she could see, while Halen's deep auburn hair barely passed her shoulders. He stood at least half a foot taller than her, but it seemed to be her that was doing all of the talking with the vendor. She could barely see them with so much space between them, but when Hutch shifted, she could just make out a blue tattoo bleeding down his neck and shoulder, disappearing beneath his shirt.  
  
“Does everyone in Ouskejon have a tattoo?” she asked, finally tearing her focus away from the two. Lexa began down the street again, Clarke moving easily beside her, and gave a small shrug. “Not everyone,” she answered, “But most. I expect everyone who has come with Esta will have them.” Glancing over once again as the two members of the Blue Cliff Clan accepted their rabbit, the Commander felt her stomach rumble, a clear reminder she had not eaten anything yet. Glancing up at the sky, she realized it was nearly midday.  
  
Steering them through a small crowd of people who immediately got out of their Heda's way, Lexa led them over to another vendor. Meat sizzled on the metal grill in front of him, fat dripping into the hungry fire, and it only made her stomach growl once again. The man standing on the other side of the fire grinned as soon as he saw her, nodding frantically, his way of bowing respectfully.  
  
“Heda!” he exclaimed, grabbing a skewer on the small table beside him and immediately stabbing the largest chunks of meat. He held it out to her, still grinning as he informed her, “ _I have the best saved for you, as always._ ” She returned his grin with a small smile, accepting the offered food. “Mochof, Moutis,” she replied, and then nodded to the blonde beside her. “ _We will need another one today, as well._ ” As she spoke, she handed her skewer over to the other girl, glancing away from the man just long enough to give her an amused look.  
  
As though he hadn't noticed the blonde before, the man's head tilted, clearly studying her, before his eyes widened, recognition suddenly sparking in them. “Wanheda!” he exclaimed, hurriedly reaching over to grab another skewer and knocking a couple to the ground in the process. He stabbed the next largest chunks and then handed it over, Lexa once again accepting it even though he was no longer looking at her. “ _I'm sorry Wanheda, I-I didn't see you. Please, enjoy!_ ” He paused for a second, eyes scanning her face and then asked, “ _You... are Wanheda, yes? I have only heard stories..._ ”  
  
Clarke flashed him an easy smile, nodding. “Sha,” she answered, “Ai laik Wanheda. Klark.” She took a bite from the skewer Lexa handed her to be polite, and then felt her eyes close. The meat was almost too hot to eat, but she didn't care. Flavors like she'd never had before flooded her taste buds, as though they were waking up for the first time. The food she'd eaten ever since coming to the ground had always been better than what they'd had on the Ark, but none of it compared to this. Opening her eyes again, she looked at Motis, flashing him a bright smile. “ _This is delicious,_ ” she told him, the man immediately beaming at her words. “ _What is it?_ ”  
  
“ _Deer,_ ” he answered, eyes twinkling, “ _But the secret is in the herbs I use, and that is a secret I will never share._ ”  
  
“ _It's true,_ ” Lexa agreed, one corner of her mouth turning up, “ _I have been trying to get him to tell me most of my life, and he still hasn't._ ” Motis returned her smile, looking away only when he heard an extra sizzle in the meat still on the grill, and returned his attention to turning them so that it would all cook evenly.  
  
“ _I will just have to come back then,_ ” Clarke told him, finishing another bite. The second was almost better than the first, and she had no doubt she would definitely be back before she had to leave Polis. Motis flashed her another smile, only glancing up briefly this time as he continued to tend to his work, telling her, “ _I am always here, Wanheda, and will be honored to serve you._ ” She mirrored his smile, and then felt Lexa's free hand briefly cup her elbow, grabbing her attention.  
  
“We should continue,” she simply said, before nodding one last time to the meat vendor. “ _I am sure we will both see you again soon, Moutis. I hope you have good business until then._ ”  
  
“ _I always have good business this time of year, Heda, and you are to thank for that,_ ” he replied. He glanced around at the many people walking the streets, noticing a few staring at the imposing Commander, and had to fight not to grin again. He knew as soon as she and Wanheda left he'd have a flock of business. Grabbing the rack of already-seasoned deer meat waiting to go on the grill, he began to reload it.  
  
With a quick round of farewells, Lexa pulled Clarke back out into the street, beginning on their way again. The blonde followed along readily, but frowned, glancing over her shoulder. “Shouldn't we give him something for this?” she asked, gesturing to the two skewers of meats they held, and Lexa just shook her head, smiling slightly.  
  
“The last time I offered Motis anything in return, he said he hoped I would never insult him like that again,” she informed her. “And that was a few months before I became Commander. I haven't dared to try since.” Clarke nodded, but her brow furrowed, studying the other girl. “So he knew you when you were younger?” she asked, and Lexa nodded.  
  
“He was friends with my mother as they were growing up,” she answered, the words spoken so matter-of-factly that Clarke knew they must be getting to the brunette under her stoic surface. “I have known him all my life.”  
  
Clarke didn't say anything to that, too afraid of dragging up memories the other girl wouldn't want to think about while walking the streets of her city, and instead allowed peaceful silence to settle between them. They ate as they walked, both content to just take in the sights and sounds around them as the crowds of people shifted, many of them openly staring at the two imposing leaders and their silent bodyguards trailing along behind them. Once they finished, Lexa took the skewer from Clarke, their fingers momentarily brushing in what could easily have been an accident to anyone passing by, and then tossed it and her own into one of the fire pits they walked by.  
  
Lexa led the way down the streets, every now and then pointing out specific people or places, murmuring tidbits of information to the queen beside her. Clarke soaked it all in, trying her best to remember everything the Commander told her, but as they turned a corner, her eyes widened, suddenly too focused on what was in front of her to pay attention to anything else. Two buildings towered in front of her, the side of one barely more than rubble. They were no where near the size of Lexa's tower, but they still stood higher than the other buildings around them. The buildings stood close together, close enough that more than a dozen pieces of fabric and furs had been stretched between them, each somehow securely tied in place many feet off the ground. Thick ropes hung down the side of each building, and as Clarke watched a young girl, probably not much older than Thom, darted out from the dip of the hammock she was sitting in, moving as easily as though she were on the ground. Clarke felt her heart jump to her throat, sure the girl would fall, but instead as she reached the end of the fabric she reached out and grabbed the nearest rope, easily hoisting herself over the side of the hammock and shimmying down the side of the building. As though what she'd done was completely normal, the moment her feet touched the ground she was off, grinning at the people milling around and running out of sight.  
  
“What...” Clarke began to ask, but then trailed off, at a loss for words. The people around the buildings moved as though they didn't have a care in the world, a few sitting by a fire, another clearly telling a story to a couple other children, and all the queen could do was stare, dumbfounded.  
  
“Trishana,” Lexa informed her, a little smirk tugging at her lips. “The Glowing Forest Clan. They don't care for our buildings in Polis. Their villages are built in the trees.” She gestured up to the hammocks, their colors brighter than anything Clarke had ever been able to associate with the Grounders before. “They were able to build small structures at great heights, using the trees to hide away from their enemies. Because of this, I try to give them space where they can place their hammocks.” Her gaze shifted, following a man as he easily began hoisting himself up one of the buildings, barely needing to use his legs at all to lift himself along the rope. “You will never meet anyone who can climb like the Trishana.”  
  
“Amazing,” Clarke whispered, eyes still wide. She glanced around the camp, finding men with no shirts on and women with nothing but a band around their breasts, and in some cases not even that. Something nagged at the back of her mind, something she couldn't place for a second, before she frowned. “None of them have any tattoos,” she stated, looking around at all of them and trying to find a mark of any kind to signify their clan alliance. Out of the corner of her vision, she caught Lexa's grin grow.  
  
“None you can see now,” she agreed with a simple nod. “We will have to return after nightfall.” Not giving Clarke time to question her, she nodded to the two people in the middle of the camp, each constantly moving from one person to another. “Those two are the leaders of the clan,” she murmured. “Sheni and Jace.”  
  
“They're both the leaders?” Clarke repeated, raising an eyebrow as she studied the two. From what she could see, they had similar features, each with slightly darker skin, dark hair and dark eyes. Jace's hair was short, certainly shorter than she saw on most Grounders, not even reaching his ears, while Sheni's was long and wild, the tight curls springing from her scalp. She smiled as she moved around her people, teeth flashing and conversation flowing easily between them. Jace's smile was smaller, lips pursed together, but he seemed no less content than her. The same little girl she'd seen shimmy down the building suddenly came running back, bare feet smacking against the ground, and with no warning she jumping, easily scrambling up the man's back. His smile grew then as he glanced over his shoulder, and then Clarke watched as he sent the same look to Sheni, the other leader easily returning it. The Ice queen didn't need Lexa to tell her they were a family; their love for each other was obvious.  
  
“Yes,” Lexa replied, answering her question. “During the council meetings only one will be able to sit as the leader of their people, but outside of Polis their people follow them equally.”  
  
“They look... happy,” Clarke murmured, the only word she could think of to describe the scene before her. The other girl nodded, expression almost soft before saying, “They are. The Trishana are peaceful people; they have never been much for fighters. Sheni and Jace were happy to accept my offer to join the coalition the very moment I told them about it. It was not a fight getting them to join, as it was with some others.”  
  
“Should I go over and meet them?” the queen asked, glancing at Lexa, and the brunette took a moment to think about it. “No,” she finally replied, “We should leave them as they are for now. There is still a lot I would like to show you, and introducing you to them will take time.” Clarke nodded, perfectly happy to follow Lexa's lead, and then allowed herself just another moment to take in the people before her. After, she turned to the Commander, raising an eyebrow and giving her a half smile, and let Lexa lead them away.  
  
“Are there other clans who have more than one leader?” Clarke asked as they walked away, glancing over at the other girl. Lexa shook her head, telling her, “No. There are some whose partners have a significant role among their people, but no others who lead as equals. A couple other clans have tried in the past, but it can be difficult. When there is only one leader, their word is law and their decisions are final. When more than one person have equal power, it can cause problems.”  
  
“That makes sense,” the queen replied, thinking it over, and noticed Lexa flash her a curious look, clearly hearing something in her tone. “It's like why we had a Chancellor and council on the Ark,” she said, answering the unspoken question. “The council brought multiple points of view in, but when there was an even split between them, it was always the Chancellor who had the final decision.”  
  
“Yes,” Lexa agreed, giving a nod. “That is like the council meetings we will be having. All the leaders of the clans will gather to discuss trading routes and goods and land, but if there are any disagreements I will be the one who decides what happens.”  
  
Clarke returned the nod, mind wandering as she began thinking about the council meeting she would have to go to in the morning, the first time she would have to act the part of queen in front of the leaders of the other clans, and went silent. Lexa gave her her silence, guessing what she might be thinking about, and instead simply led the way down another busy city street. They managed to put a decent amount of distance between themselves and the Trishana before she saw another face in the crowd, one that had already spotted them. Her cool expression settled back in place, head tilting up a fraction higher, and it was as though the blonde sensed the shift in her. Clarke looked up, glancing at first her and then the area around them, asking quietly, “What is it?”  
  
“Over there,” she answered just as quietly, eyes remaining locked on the young woman standing down the street. Clarke followed her gaze, finding a young woman near their own age staring back at Lexa, her own cool calm discernible even with the space between them. Her skin was pale, hair only a shade or two darker than Clarke's, eyes light though the queen couldn't make out their exact color. “That is Asta, daughter of the king of the Rock Line Clan, and likely to be their next queen once he steps down or dies.” As she spoke, the woman beside Asta turned around, looking first at the princess and then following her gaze, until she saw the Commander and blonde with her. Head rising, the woman made eye contact with Lexa, giving her a nod, and then took the other woman's arm, leading her away.  
  
“And that was...?” Clarke asked, watching the two walk in the opposite direction, and Lexa answered, “Mita, the king's sister and a fierce warrior. All of the Rock Line Clan are fierce warriors; they pride themselves on their strength.” The queen made a noise, an utter of confirmation she'd heard, and then followed along as Lexa began walking again. From the interaction and the way the Commander talked about them, she had a feeling the Rock Line Clan was likely to be a problem. She stored that thought away to go over when she had more time to think about it.  
  
The next encampment they stopped at looked more like the Azgeda camp than the Trishana camp, no hammocks strung between buildings. These people had a single building to themselves, a few of the clan members lingering around it. One woman sat at a fire, clearly preparing a meal for everyone else, while others found their own work. Once again the men walked around with bare torsos, the women wearing wraps that crossed over their chests and then up and around the back of their necks, but unlike with the Glowing Forest Clan, these people all bore marks, signifying their clan. Lexa leaned over when they stopped, pointing at the green ink staining a single shoulder on each of those milling around the camp, telling the blonde how this marked them as Yujleda, the Broadleaf Clan. Clarke scanned the area, trying to see if she could identify their leader before Lexa could point them out, but when the Commander realized what she was doing, she told her that Cela wasn't there at the moment. After another minute or so of studying this new clan, Lexa continued on, Clarke following after her.  
  
The Ice queen was starting to wonder how long this tour would take when they were stopped once again. Lexa froze nearly mid-step, her spine immediately straightening and hands clasping behind her back the moment she noticed two figures approaching them. Clarke looked at her curiously and stopped beside her, Ryder and Jojesh once again stopping behind them. The queen glanced at the two women approaching, easily identifying them as warriors in the way they held themselves. Both had dark hair littered with braids, but with other colors woven into the braids as well. As they drew closer, Clarke realized the flashes of color came from strands of other hair somehow held in place and twined through their braids. Strands of red and blonde and lighter brown stood out against hair that was nearly black, drawing the eye to them. Looking away from it, Clarke's eyes were drawn to something else, as each women had a small red stud pierced into their nose.  
  
“Heda,” the shorter one greeted once they were close, nodding respectfully. They both kept their expressions carefully blank, nearly as stoic as Lexa's own. “ _It is good to see you again._ ”  
  
“ _It is good to see you both again as well,_ ” Lexa replied, returning her nod. Gesturing at the blonde beside her, she added, “ _This is Queen Klark of the Ice Nation._ ” Both sets of eyes turned to the queen, clearly studying her as Lexa continued the introductions, pointing out each of the women in turn. “ _Klark, this is Ilia and Eleina of the Shallow Valley Clan._ ”  
  
Elana, the one who had already spoken, finally nodded to Clarke. “ _We've heard a lot about you, Wanheda. It will be interesting to see if any of it is true._ ” Not entirely sure how to respond to that, the blonde simply nodded, telling them, “ _It's an honor to meet you both._ ”  
  
Elia, who had been silent up to this point, barely acted as though she'd heard the queen. Instead she turned back to the Commander, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. “ _We're looking for your General, Commander,_ ” she said, amusement coloring her tone. Quirking an eyebrow up, she asked, “ _You don't know where she is, do you?_ ”  
  
Now Clarke knew why Lexa had reacted so automatically the moment she saw them, and had to force her expression to remain blank. She didn't look up at the girl beside her, couldn't look at Lexa as she informed them with an entirely even voice, “ _You will not find Onya. Her fight ended before winter set in. I'm sorry._ ”  
  
Their masks were good, but not good enough. Clarke saw the shock and disbelief flash across their faces in the split second after Lexa's words were out, followed almost immediately by rage, only to be wiped away the next moment by grief. Elana's head lifted higher, her jaw clenching painfully, but she refused to look away. Elia's head bowed momentarily, water clearly gathering at the corners of her eyes before she could push it back. Clarke didn't know either of them, but it was clear they had known Anya, and it was even more clear the knowledge of her death had torn something open inside them. A wave of guilt washed through her, hot and sudden, and she fought to keep it from her expression.  
  
Almost as one, the two women touched their right fists to their lips, murmuring against them, “ _May she rest to fight again._ ” Elia looked up, eyes still watery but now with a fierceness in them that Clarke couldn't look away from. “ _The spirits had to fight to take her,_ ” she declared, clearly just knowing that Anya wouldn't have gone easily. “ _She was the fiercest of us all; she deserves her rest._ ” Elana nodded, obviously in agreement.  
  
“ _She was,_ ” Lexa agreed, voice quieter than usual, and Clarke knew she was thinking about the mentor who had done so much for her, helped shape her into who she was. The blonde ached to reach out and try to offer some comfort to her love, but forced her hands to stay at her sides.  
  
The two warriors stood there for a moment, letting the information sink in even further, and then Elia's eyes glanced over at Elana, the shorter woman still simply staring forward, a hard expression on her face. “ _We need to get back to our people, Commander,_ ” she informed them, looking back at Lexa, and the Commander nodded.  
  
“ _Of course,_ ” she agreed, “ _Go._ ” Elia bowed her head, Elana following suit a second later, and then they turned, moving back down the street in the direction they came from. As she watched them walk away, Clarke saw Elia's hand settle on Elana's arm, the two shifting closer to each other as they went. She frowned slightly, not entirely sure what she was seeing.  
  
“They're together?” she asked, glancing up at Lexa, and the other girl simply nodded, still watching them go. With their backs turned to her, she finally allowed her stoic mask to slip a little, her own grief barely flashing across green eyes. Feeling confused, Clarke looked back at the two warriors. “The way they reacted, I thought one of them must have had feelings for Anya.” Lexa let out a silent sigh, shoulders rising and then falling, and then turned to the blonde.  
  
“The Shallow Valley Clan believe in...” she trailed off, brow furrowing slightly as she tried to think of the Gonasleng word for what she was trying to describe. “Lovers, maybe? It is not uncommon among their people to have multiple partners. Anya was theirs, whenever they traveled to Polis or she traveled to the Louwoda villages.” Her mask slipped a little further as she looked back at them, the corners of her lips turning down as she murmured, “They wanted her to go back with them last year. She never said anything to me about it, but I could tell they asked her.” She closed her eyes for a second, trying to fight down the small lump forming in her throat. “She stayed because she was my General; she knew I needed her.”  
  
Seeing the guilt trying to slip past her mask, Clarke didn't try to stop herself from reaching out. Her hand rested lightly on her arm, forcing Lexa to open her eyes and meet an almost overly-bright blue gaze. “She loved you, Lexa,” she heard Clarke tell her softly. “Maybe not in the way she loved them, but she loved you. You were her student and her Commander: she wasn't going to leave your side.” Lexa nodded, knowing the truth of the blonde's words, and rested her hand on top of Clarke's, allowing the other girl to help fight back her pain and guilt. Only once she felt those feelings push back down did she allow her hand to drop, the Ice queen's falling away immediately after.  
  
“Tell me more about the Shallow Valley Clan,” Clarke requested as they began walking again, partially to try to get Lexa's mind off of her mentor and partially because she was curious. “Their hair was interesting.”  
  
“Mm,” the Commander agreed, letting out a little smile. “I thought so too, the first time I saw it. It is how they pay respect to their loved ones who have died. Before the bodies are burned they cut off a piece of their hair, and then wind them into their own braids. They believe it allows them to carry a piece of the loved one's spirit with them.”  
  
An image suddenly flashed across Clarke's mind of Anya standing over a tiny body, knife out and cutting through a small braid. Her eyes widened, realizing now that it hadn't been a Trikru tradition she'd witnessed that day, but a Louwoda one.  
  
“Wait, so that's why Anya took Tris's braid that day?” she asked. “And why I took-”  
  
“Yes,” Lexa replied, nodding once. “Anya learned the custom from Elia and Elana. She did not weave them into her own hair, but when someone close to her died, she would take a braid in order to remember them. She felt it kept her connected to them.”  
  
“Huh. I never would have pictured Anya as the sentimental type,” Clarke said, partially serious and partially joking, hoping to lighten the mood. Clearly she'd failed at steering the conversation away from Anya, but even so she watched as the corners of Lexa's mouth twitched up. “She usually wasn't, and would have hated anyone knowing she had moments of such foolishness, as she called it.” That made Clarke grin, lining up much better with the woman she had very briefly met. Seeing Lexa in a better mood than she'd been in just a few minutes ago, she switched the topic back to Elia and Elana. “What about their noses?” she asked. “They both had a piercing. Is that how the Shallow Valley Clan identify themselves?”  
  
Lexa nodded. “Yes,” she replied, “Every member of their clan gets their nose pierced when they reach a certain age. The color of the jewelry they wear helps identify what they do. Red symbolizes warriors.”  
  
“So no tattoos?” Clarke asked, and the other girl shrugged. “It is not strange if a member of their clan gets a tattoo, but they are not important to their people the way they are important to the Trikru or many other clans.” The blonde nodded, taking that in, and then the two once again fell back into silence. They continued walking, interrupted every now and then when someone would approach Lexa for something, and the Commander would patiently listen to what they had to say. Often times Clarke tuned it out, not honing in on the Trigedasleng as much as she normally did, trying to think over everything she'd already learned. Her head buzzed with new information and new insights, and she couldn't help but wonder how much that buzzing would increase by the time the tour was over. They must have easily been walking for over an hour now, and they still hadn't even covered half of the clans. She had a feeling when they did finally finish she was going to need to find Taigon and ask him for his strongest headache herbs.  
  
Movement up ahead of them suddenly grabbed Clarke's attention, this time caused by more than one or two people. She looked ahead, finding the crowds of people condensing into one area, all turned and looking away from the two of them, possibly the strangest part. She hadn't realized how used to the stares she'd become, until they were no longer being directed at her or the woman beside her. Turning, she found Lexa grinning, not at all trying to tamper the reaction, and when she looked over, Clarke was surprised to see excitement shining in green eyes. Apparently she had already figured out whatever was happening, and it was a good thing.  
  
“Come on,” she simply said, gesturing towards the crowd. “I think you will enjoy meeting this next person.” When she hurried forward, barely waiting for a response, Clarke nearly had to jog to catch up to her.  
  
The crowd of people closed off the street, making it difficult to see past them, and the queen could feel Jojesh and Ryder both move closer to the two leaders. Those closest to them in the crowd parted as soon as they realized who was trying to get through, a pathway quickly clearing. The four stepped through, Clarke glancing around as she did, and felt her eyebrows raise when she saw what all the fuss was about.  
  
Horses made their way down the next street, their riders watchful and eyeing the crowds. A couple of horses pulled wagons similar to the ones Clarke's people had brought, but two others pulled another kind of structure. It too looked like a wagon, but with a closed off top, almost like a small building were being pulled through the streets. What appeared to be tiny windows had been carved out of the sides, but from where she was the queen couldn't see inside it. A man rode beside this strange wagon, as watchful as the other riders, but when his eyes skimmed over her and Lexa, they immediately stopped. The queen's eyes widened in surprise as the man suddenly grinned.  
  
“Hod op!” he called out, voice easily carrying over the entire riding party, and almost as one they all stopped. Lightly tapping his feet against his horse's sides, he urged the mount forward, moving directly over to the two leaders. “Commander!” he exclaimed, still nothing but grins, “It's good to see you again! Every year you are even more beautiful than the last.” He swung a leg over his horse, easily falling to the ground, and bowed deeply to the brunette, looking up at her with a hint of mischief twinkling in his dark brown eyes.  
  
Shock ran through Clarke as she realized the man was trying to flirt with the other girl; Lexa however didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Her brow lifted, amusement dancing in her eyes as she replied calmly, “Danias. I see you have not changed. Welcome back to Polis.” Turning slightly to the blonde, she told her, “Clarke, this is Danias kom Delfikru.”  
  
“Clarke?” the man asked, rising out of his bow, a single eyebrow ticking up. “As in Wanheda, and new queen of the Ice Nation?” The blonde nodded, expression even as she tried to study him back, not sure what to think. At her response, his grin only grew, and then he fell back into his bow, this time the motion clearly meant for her. “It is an honor to meet you, Queen Clarke. We've heard a lot about you.” He looked up, glancing over at Lexa again as he added, “However, I think you should have your messengers all killed, Heda. They told us of her great strength, but failed to mention her radiance. Beauty such as hers should be praised until one's last breath, don't you agree?”  
  
“Danias,” Lexa sighed, a warning edging into her tone, but rather than let it scare him, the man just looked back at Clarke, giving her a little wink.  
  
“Danias, are you making trouble already?” they all heard, and at the voice the man immediately straightened, flashing the blonde another quick smile. Beside her, Clarke saw Lexa's expression soften, focus immediately turning to the voice, and the blonde followed her gaze to the one who'd spoken. A man climbed out of the strange wagon, a woman carefully grabbing his arm and helping him down. Seeing him, Clarke had to fight to contain her shock.  
  
White hair so thin it seemed nearly translucent had been pulled back into a small ponytail, little wisps of it falling into his face. A scraggly beard the same pure white fought to grow, clearly thinning with age. Deep wrinkles tugged at the man's leathery skin, his eyes nearly sinking into them. When he finally stepped onto solid ground, Clarke realized his back was permanently hunched, shoulders sagging over his body. He was, without a doubt, the oldest man she'd ever seen, but even so he smiled as he walked forward, steps slow and deliberate. When he was close enough, the blonde realized his blue eyes twinkled, sharp and intelligent and obviously amused.  
  
“Me?” Danias asked, turning and moving towards the old man. “I never cause trouble.” His grin only widened when the other man let out a little laugh.  
  
Rather than wait for the man to get to them, Lexa followed Danias, eyes never leaving the man with the white hair. Clarke followed after her, seeing the brunette's smile grow, eyes bright, and she couldn't help but wonder who this man was. As soon as she closed the space between them, Lexa reached out, gently laying a hand on the man's arm.  
  
“Nontukri,” she murmured, voice soft. “It is very good to see you again.” The man returned her smile and then took a final step forward, wrapping his arms around the brunette in a tight hug. “Lexa,” he greeted happily, “It's very good to see you again too.”  
  
Too many things about what was happening in front of her made absolutely no sense, but one thing stood out above the rest, and it was this that caused Clarke's jaw to drop just a hair.  
  
“Nontukri?” she asked, eyes flickering back and forth between Lexa and the old man. She'd heard the title before whenever anyone was talking about Sef and Kurtis. “This, this is your grandfather?” Pulling back from the hug, they looked at her, both still smiling. Lexa stepped away, reaching towards the blonde, and Clarke moved towards her, feeling the brunette's hand rest against her elbow.  
  
“Nontukri is his title,” she explained, understanding the other girl's confusion. “It is what all of his people call him.” She gestured back towards the man, reading the amusement in his light eyes. “Clarke, this is Daniel, the leader of the Delfikru. He is the one who taught me Gonasleng.”  
  
“I was one of the only ones left who knew the language,” Daniel explained, flashing the blonde a little smile. “That's what happens I guess when you're the oldest man on the ground.” Clarke couldn't hide the utter surprise she felt from her expression, and the man simply let out a little chuckle. “I know, you wouldn't guess it; I look good for my age.”  
  
The queen's mouth hung open for just a second, before she managed to stammer, “I... I-It's an honor to meet you.” His smile softened and then he reached out, carefully grabbing her hand. “No, it's an honor to meet you,” he replied, his tone nothing but sincere. “When I was a little boy I heard stories about the people who made it to space, but I never thought I would live long enough to meet any of you. It truly is an honor.” Clarke tried to think of something to say to that but couldn't, her mind still trying to process exactly what was happening.  
  
Luckily, Lexa seemed to sense her inability to say anything, and diverted the focus away from her.  
  
“How was your trip, Grandfather?” she asked, glancing up and over those waiting around them, many of them still on horseback. “Did you have any problems?”  
  
“No problems except for old bones,” Daniel replied, shrugging his hunched shoulders. He pulled his hand back from Clarke's, looking wistfully at the horses. “I used to be one of the finest riders in my clan, but now can barely even get onto a horse.” He scowled, hooking a thumb over his shoulder towards the wagon he'd been riding in and said, “I hate that carriage, but it's the only way I can get around now.”  
  
“Complained about it the whole way,” Danias added, grinning at his leader. “We couldn't go a mile without him trying to convince us he could ride as well as any of us.” He glanced up at Lexa, wanting to know, “You put us in the same place as last year, yes Heda?” She nodded, informing them, “I did. It is the closest I could get your people to Polis Tower so you will not have to travel as far for the council meetings.” Looking back at Daniel, she added, “You also have a room in my tower, if you would rather stay there. It might be easier for you.” Danias nodded, seeming to think it over, but Daniel glared at them both.  
  
“I can walk you know,” he reminded them sharply. Looking at Clarke, he shook his head, telling her, “They think I'm helpless and forget that I've been taking care of myself longer than both their lifetimes added together.” She grinned, unable to stop herself, and then gestured to Lexa. “She's a worrier, it's just what she does. She can't help it.” He returned her grin, giving her a nod. “I know,” he said, “I tried to teach her how to relax a little while teaching her our language, but that's a lesson I don't think she'll ever learn.” Clarke almost laughed but managed to catch herself just in time as Lexa shot her a little glare. Rather than bother with any kind of reply, the Commander simply let their conversation drop, instead telling Daniel, “We will be happy to escort you through the city, Grandfather. I'm sure your people would like to rest.”  
  
“Mochof, Commander,” he replied, giving a sharp nod. “That sounds wonderful.” When Danias reached over and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder, clearly planning to steer him back towards the carriage, he just swatted the hand away. “I told you I can walk,” he growled, directing a small glare at the other man, and Danias immediately pulled his hand away.  
  
“Alright, you can walk,” he gave in, wrapping his horse's reins around one hand. He looked around at their people and then pursed his lips together, letting out a loud whistle. The signal was all they needed, and the group began forward again, the warriors riding keeping their mounts to a slow walk.  
  
Lexa's focus was split between Daniel, Clarke, and the crowd still lining the edges of the street, watching these new people go by. Because of this, she nearly missed one specific face in the crowd, but when her mind processed who it was, she felt her back stiffen. Without saying anything she walked a little closer to the queen beside her, placing her body between her and the Desert king watching them. Clarke clearly read the stiffness of her movement, and looked at her curiously.  
  
“Lexa, what is it?” she asked, giving the Commander a look. When the other girl didn't answer right away, she scanned the area around them, having to step forward to see past her. After a second she saw the same person Lexa had, and then fell back beside her, a calm and easy expression on her face.  
  
“Relax, Lexa,” she informed her, looking forward. “It's alright; I took care of the problem with the Sankru king.” Danias shot her a look, lifting an eyebrow, while Daniel looked at her worriedly. Lexa's eyes widened for just a moment before she shoved her surprise back behind her mask.  
  
“There have already been problems?” Daniel asked, worry obvious in his tone. He had known it would happen eventually with the Sky girl becoming queen, but he had hoped it wouldn't happen so soon. Clarke glanced over at him and then away again, telling him, “It's fine, just a little... misunderstanding. He and I talked, and it won't happen again.” Daniel and Danias shared a look, the younger man's lips pulling up in a grin while the older man continued to look concerned, but it wasn't them the blonde paid attention to.  
  
“What do you mean you talked?” Lexa asked quietly, her words clipped. As though forcing herself to remain calm, her hands folded behind her back, her fingernails biting lightly into the skin of her wrist. “When?”  
  
“This morning,” Clarke answered, still looking nowhere but forward. “He and I happened to run into each other while you were training. We talked, and came to an understanding.” The queen swore she could practically hear the Commander's teeth grind together. She was silent for a second, and then turned to the two Delfikru.  
  
“Excuse us,” she simply said, overly polite. “I said we would escort you, but the queen and I need to talk. I will see you both tomorrow, and wish you a good night. Welcome again to Polis.” With that the Commander took off, walking quickly away from the group, the crowd parting as soon as they saw her moving their way, Ryder splitting off right behind her. Clarke let out an almost silent sigh, and then gave the two men a small smile. “It was nice to meet you both,” she told them. “I'll see you tomorrow.” They nodded to her and then she followed after the Commander, the crowd still parted to let her through, some even taking another step back as she approached. Jojesh barely acknowledged any of them as he remained by his queen.  
  
Danias shook his head, watching the two go.  
  
“I think the Commander of Death is about to get a severe talking to from our Commander,” he said, grinning slightly. “I wish her strength.”  
  
“Something tells me there is little that this Wanheda cannot withstand,” Daniel murmured, his own smile tugging at his lips. “Perhaps it is Heda who needs the strength to survive her.” The two shared a look, amusement dancing across their expressions. If nothing else, the next couple of weeks promised to be very, very interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! If you have any questions about the characters introduced in this chapter, feel free to send me a message on Tumblr to clarkethewanheda and I'll do my best to answer them. Also, we're getting to the point where I had to make up certain Trigedasleng words for the story, so I'll point out in the translations when it's a word or phrase I created. Thanks all!
> 
> Oh, also: manipulative Clarke is one of my favorite Clarke's. Just had to put that out there. 
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Heihefa" - Sankru title for "King"  
> "Ai laik Wanheda" - "I am the Commander of Death"  
> "Hod op" - "Stop"  
> "Nontrukri" - "Grandfather" (My own translation, based off of "Nontu" for "Father")


	7. Chapter 6

Clarke had to walk quickly to keep up with Lexa, always just a few steps behind her. She could tell by the tight grip of her hands clasped behind her and the rigid set of her shoulders that the Commander was trying to hold in her anger, and figured others sensed it too as she watched person after person move as far out of their Heda's way as possible as she all but stormed down the streets. Wide and worried eyes fell on Clarke, the queen's face calm under their scrutiny, and she just made sure to hold her head up high as their feet slapped against packed dirt. Ryder followed Lexa and Jojesh followed Clarke, but the blonde didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to try to attack either of them at the moment. The Commander was out for blood, and anyone who so much as laid eyes on her could see she would take it from anyone who tried to get in her way.  
  
They walked without speaking, Clarke because she knew she better save her breath for when she really needed it and Lexa because she knew the moment she opened her mouth the thoughts tumbling around her head would come spilling out, and she had no desire for any but the blonde to hear them. Anyone who would usually call out to her thought better of it this time, quickly dropping their eyes and turning away from the angered Commander. They didn't know what was going on or who had done what, but everyone knew when the Commander's eyes flashed in that way, it was best to just keep their distance.  
  
Clarke wasn't surprised when they turned around a corner and she saw some of her own people, their camp just up ahead, and followed Lexa towards it. Niylah and Luca were still trading goods with passersby, but the moment those hanging around noticed the Commander and the set of her expression, they quickly fled, suddenly wishing to be anywhere else but there. She found Raven and Taigon still there, now sitting on a large log by a fire pit, talking with Octavia and Lincoln and listening to Reese and Thom probably still talking about their morning. Octavia noticed them first, an eyebrow lifting as she quickly picked up on the intensity between the two, and her shift in focus seemed to pull each of the others. Thom grinned when he saw them, clearly not picking up on Lexa's body language, and was about to run towards them when Taigon reached forward, carefully grabbing his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye Clarke thought she saw the healer shake his head, a silent warning. At the edge of the camp she saw Roan and Ontari, the larger warrior calmly watching them cross the camp while Ontari's eyes narrowed. Lexa ignored all of them, leading the way straight to the building without stopping, and Clarke followed after her, their guards still with them.  
  
“Jojesh, you should probably stay out here,” they heard Taigon call almost quietly, a slight warning to his tone. Without turning around, Lexa nearly snapped, “Yes Jojesh, it would be best for you to stay out here.” Glancing at her warrior over her shoulder, Clarke nodded, silently telling him the same, and he stopped, eyes still on her as Lexa stopped beside the doorway. Green eyes flashing at her in an expression that only a blind man would think was as calm as it was clearly meant to be, she gestured to the door, saying stiffly, “After you, Kwin Klark.” Without blinking Clarke led the way inside, hearing Lexa continue behind her, “Ryder, you can wait out here as well.” Footsteps then began following her, and now it was Clarke's turn to take the lead and Lexa's turn to follow just behind her.  
  
She led the way up a single flight of stairs and then into the first room on the second floor. A table and a few chairs were set up in the middle, a smaller table with what she assumed was a pitcher of water set in the corner, and a few furs folded neatly just to one side of the door. The room felt a little cramped in its size, but left enough open space for easy movement. Clarke moved over to the larger table but didn't sit in any of the chairs and simply turned around, crossing her arms over her chest. Lexa followed her inside, pulling the door behind her with enough force that it slammed shut.  
  
“Explain to me how it is you have spoken with the Desert King already,” she demanded as soon as the door had closed, jaw clenching as she forced out the words. Now that they were alone they could finally talk, but she fought with herself to keep her anger bottled up. With the way she felt it swirling in her gut, she didn't know how long she would manage.  
  
Clarke shrugged one of her shoulders, not helping with the control of her anger.  
  
“Like I said, we ran into each other,” the queen simply repeated, not going into much detail. “I convinced him he'd made the wrong choice, sending his son to try to kill me, and we reached an understanding.”  
  
“What does that mean, Clarke?” Lexa bit, taking a step towards the blonde. “He actually dared to come here?”  
  
“No, of course not,” Clarke scoffed, giving a quick shake of her head. She nodded towards one of the walls, clearly indicating the outside, and continued, “We met in the streets. He looked like he was just exploring and I was coming back from visiting my mom and saw him and decided to take my opportunity.” Lexa's lips parted in a brief flash, the blonde seeing the glimpse of white of her clenched teeth, and then she began pacing in the small room, hands curled into tight fists down at her side. Her eyes shot over to Clarke, her anger abundant in her glare.  
  
“You should not have done that,” she growled, still pacing. “I told you not to go exploring the city without me! And how is it you reached an understanding? What kind of understanding?”  
  
“No, you advised me not to go exploring without you, and I didn't,” the queen replied slowly, trying to hold onto her patience. She understood that Lexa's anger came from fear, fear for her safety, but even so she could feel her patience slowly beginning to slip away. “I went to visit my mother, something I promised her I would do. Did I look around a bit on my way back? Sure, but I didn't go exploring. That's when I happened to see Hektar, and figured it was as good a time as any to deal with him.”  
  
“How, Clarke?” Lexa demanded again, stopping in her tracks to stare at the blonde head on. “You told me you had a plan, but never said what that plan was. If you are not killing Hektar or his son for what happened, then how did you come to this understanding?”  
  
“I told him I know that he sent Enit to kill me, and that if I wanted I could demand the coalition attack him and his clan,” she answered, leaning back against the table. Lexa's eyes skimmed across her face, studying her, as she continued. “I told him that if I wanted, it was my right to demand his death and his son's at the very least, but that for now I won't as long as he acts as though he accepts me with the other clans. As long as he pretends to be on my side and accept my rule, then he and his son will both live, but if he doesn't, then they both die.”  
  
Lexa's eyes widened by a fraction, her head tilting slightly to the side. “And he just accepted that? After trying to kill you, he decided not to put up anymore fight and simply accept you?” She didn't believe it; even the most peaceful of the clan leaders wouldn't simply agree with that threat, and Hektar was far from the most peaceful of leaders.  
  
“The knife I held at his neck didn't give him much of a choice,” Clarke informed her, and Lexa's heart stopped momentarily before beginning to beat at an alarming rate.  
  
“ _What?_ ” she demanded, fists shaking and fingernails biting into her palm. She began pacing again, mind whirling as images of the Desert King and Clarke flashed through her mind's eye. “What were you thinking? Did he attack you again? Where was Jojesh? He is supposed to protect you!”  
  
“I told Jojesh to stay away,” the queen replied, and she watched as the fire burning in green eyes seemed to double in ferocity. Her own anger continued to pool into her gut, starting to leak out and warm her limbs, and she felt her grip on her arms get tighter, still trying to tamper it down. “I needed Hektar to let his guard down, something that wasn't going to happen with him there. I asked him to take a walk with me, and he did and he let his guard down, and when I had the opportunity I attacked, knocking him off balance and disarming him. I had him against a wall and with my knife at his throat before he even knew what was happening, and then I told him what was going to happen.”  
  
“You could have been killed Clarke!” Lexa exclaimed, stopping her pacing to take a step forward, but this time Clarke mirrored it, pushing herself off the table towards the seething brunette. She could feel her own control breaking, as though it were a rubber band pulled too taut, and the heat of her anger raced up her spine. “I did what you taught me to do!” she argued, throwing her hands up in the air and then pointing at the Commander. “You're the one who taught me to use my opponent's arrogance against them! Hektar assumed he didn't have anything to worry about, and I showed him he was wrong!”  
  
“Yes, but now he may be even more of a threat,” Lexa insisted. She felt her feet root in place, a part of her wanting to go back to pacing and the other part needing to remain still and balanced. She met blue eyes that burned, the queen's anger finally catching and flaring up to match her own, and deep inside she marveled at it. On the surface her own anger continued to burn, every argument Clarke had adding fuel to it. “Threatening him and his son is not something he will take lightly, and now he knows how well you move, how much of a threat you actually are! If you had killed him it would be different, but letting him live gives him the opportunity to attack again, something he is almost certain to do. You disarmed him and pinned him against a wall; his pride will not just allow him to sit back and do nothing!”  
  
“I'm not just killing him Lexa!” the queen shouted, finally losing the last grip she'd managed to hold on her patience. She all but stormed forward, the fire in her eyes snapping, and the Commander felt her breath get caught in her chest. The enraged blonde marched forward, closing what space had been between them, and Lexa found herself unconsciously stepping back away from the storm approaching her. “You keep saying it's what I should do, but I'm not going to! If he hurts me or any of my people, then okay, I'll be the first one to pick up my sword, but right now it isn't going to happen! I get that we all have to live by blood must have blood, but I'm not ready to right now! I need the chance to prove to everyone that I am the Ice Queen _without_ drawing any blood, and _this_ is how I'm going to do it!”  
  
“Why?” Lexa wanted to know, back suddenly hitting the door. Clarke had stalked her from the table, and now she had nowhere else to go as the blonde's fury reigned down on her. Her own anger still flickered beneath her skin, but it had begun to wind down as the queen spoke, and now she felt curiosity mix with the burning in her stomach. Her eyes scanned the other girl's face, taking in the furrowed brow, clenched jaw, and meeting burning blue eyes. “Why do you refuse to make the choice to kill your enemy?”  
  
“Because I would rather make a choice that could make my enemy my ally,” Clarke immediately answered. She softened a little, some of her anger leaking away, and met green eyes clearly studying her own. “Like you.” Lexa's eyes widened and then she frowned, clearly not understanding, and Clarke felt her lips begin to twitch. The heat of her anger still warmed her, but the sudden intensity seemed to be quickly dissipating, like a sudden rainstorm that lasted only long enough to soak the ground and everything on it. “Isn't that what you did with the coalition?” she asked. “You took twelve people who were all enemies and made them allies instead.” Recognition sparked in green eyes, and the Commander nodded hesitantly. “It would have been easier to just keep being enemies, but you chose to do the harder thing and not fight. You had no idea if it would really work or not, but the idea of peace was better than the certainty of blood. That's what I'm trying to do here, Lexa! I would rather try for peace like you than demand the death of anyone who might be my enemy.” Lexa watched as a shadow passed across her face, and her fingertips itched to wipe it away, but at the moment she couldn't make herself move, lost in this spell Clarke's words seemed to be weaving around her. A pale jaw clenched once again, the shadow still hovering behind blue, and the queen continued quietly, “That's what Nia did: she killed anyone she thought could be a threat or stand in her way. I don't want to be anything like her.”  
  
“You could never be like her,” Lexa whispered. She didn't know if the spell around her had lifted or simply deepened, but she felt her hand finally move, fingers brushing gently along the blonde's jaw. Her eyes scanned the queen's face again, seeing everything there she had fallen in love with longer ago than even she cared to admit, and knew no one could ever even begin to compare her with her predecessor. Clarke turned into the touch, the slightest of nudges pushing against the brunette's hand, and she followed the motion, gently cupping the other girl's cheek.  
  
“I hope not,” she agreed, nodding against Lexa's touch. Her expression hardened again, not quite to the same degree it had as her anger had whipped through her, but enough that she knew Lexa must see it. “You get it though, right?” she asked, meeting the other girl's eyes. “You understand why I have to do this my way and not the Grounder way?”  
  
“I do,” Lexa replied, nodding, and Clarke's expression immediately softened again. The Commander's grip on her cheek tightened ever so slightly, just enough to notice, and she watched as guilt flashed momentarily across the taller girl's face. “I am sorry, Clarke,” she said, that same guilt coating her words. “I shouldn't have gotten upset. I know you well enough to know that you are a wise leader who always has a good reason for the choices you make. I should have trusted that.”  
  
“It's okay, Lexa,” Clarke promised, flashing her a little smile. She reached forward, hands settling on the Commander's waist, and gave a little squeeze. “I know you were just scared about my safety.” She took a tiny step forward, closing the little bit of space that had still been between them and looked up, meeting Lexa's eyes even as she lifted an eyebrow at her. “But you have to let me make my choices. Just because you love me doesn't mean you get to decide what I do and don't do. When it comes to this kind of thing, you have the same power over me as you do the other clan leaders, no more, no less. That means you don't get to decide how I deal with the other leaders or how they deal with me. It's my job to prove to them that I deserve my title, not yours, and I'm the one who has to choose what to do if any of them try anything. Okay?”  
  
“I...” Lexa began, and then nodded hesitantly. “Yes. I cannot promise you I will not worry, but I will stop trying to tell you what you should do.” She leaned forward, her other hand slipping behind the blonde's back and pulling her closer, and noticed as Clarke's smile grew by a fraction. “I know you are a great leader, Clarke,” she added, voice quiet. “I did not mean to imply you were anything else. But when I think of anyone trying to hurt you...”  
  
“I know,” the queen replied, gripping her waist lightly. “I get it. I feel the same whenever I think about anyone trying to hurt you.” Lexa's lips pulled up into a small smile, a movement that only made Clarke's own smile grow, and then she was pressing forward, catching the Commander's mouth in a long kiss. She felt Lexa's breath catch before the hand against her cheek slipped to the back of her head, fingers making their way into blonde hair in order to gently hold the queen in place, and for a long moment the two stood there, letting the kiss end the argument in the best way possible.  
  
Eventually pulling away, Clarke flashed another smile up at the brunette, stepping back and letting her hand slip to Lexa's. “Come on,” she just said, head tilting towards the door the other girl was still pressed against. “Let's get out of here before Taigon comes up to see if we've resorted to trying to kill each other or Octavia or Raven come up to see if we've started ripping each other's clothes off. I really wouldn't put it past either of them.” The corner of Lexa's lips turned up but then she stepped away from the door, gesturing to it with her free hand, and allowed Clarke to pull it open and begin leading them back out of the building. The blonde guided them down the stairs, but before she could open the door to lead them back outside Lexa stopped her, turning her around and stealing another quick kiss. This time Clarke felt her own breath get stuck in her lungs, the movement fast and unexpected, and when the Commander pulled away again, expression calm, she raised an eyebrow.  
  
“What was that for?” she wanted to know, and Lexa simply looked at her evenly, a soft twinkle dancing in her eyes that only Clarke ever got to see. “It is doubtful I will have the opportunity to kiss you again until tonight, so I thought it would be wise to get another while I could,” she answered easily, and then mirrored the look as the blonde's lips curled up. “You're always thinking ahead, aren't you?” Clarke asked, amusement in her words, and Lexa merely nodded. The queen squeezed her hand a final time, a little reluctant to let go, and then allowed it to drop, pulling away to put just a little more space between them. Almost immediately Lexa's hands folded together in front of her, as though they needed to be together to prevent her from giving into the temptation to reach back out, and Clarke pushed the door open, sunlight suddenly filtering inside the building.  
  
Clarke stepped outside first, the other girl following immediately behind her, and glanced over to see the small party around the fire pit had not moved. Niylah and Luca seemed to be going through their wares, possibly taking stock of what they'd managed to trade and what they still had, and Roan stood across the street, checking out a few of the nearest vendors. She didn't see Ontari until she turned to the other side and nearly jumped, finding the other girl leaning against the building, hiding in the shade. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her eyes were on Lexa, cold and almost calculating. When she looked back, Clarke found the Commander's eyes already locked on the other girl, nothing but her smooth mask in place.  
  
“Ontari,” she spoke, the girl's name almost like a greeting but not quite as polite as one. “Lexa,” the warrior replied, the use of her name and not her title noticed by all three of them. “ _It's been a long time._ ”  
  
“ _It has,_ ” Lexa agreed, switching over to Trigedasleng just as smoothly as the younger girl. “ _I would have expected to see you in Kiri last spring._ ”  
  
“ _I wish you had,_ ” Ontari replied smoothly, still leaning against the wall. “ _If so, things would have gone differently._ ”  
  
“ _They would have,_ ” the Commander said with a nod. She looked down at the younger warrior, back perfectly straight and posture showing no hint of intimidation. “ _We would have had one more traitor's body to burn. You could have burned right between Meilok and Naia._ ” Ontari's eyes flashed, her lips pulling back in a snarl, and then all at once they curled up into a smirk. Pushing herself off of the building, she took a couple of steps closer to the two leaders, still refusing to take her eyes from the Commander. “ _I hope you enjoyed seeing your beautiful Kostia again,_ ” she sneered, her words working like barbs into Lexa's carefully composed posture. Seeing the flash across green eyes and the way the Commander just barely clenched her jaw, her smirk grew, adding, “ _She told my queen and I so much about you._ ”  
  
“Ontori, daun ste pleni,” Clarke ordered, her words whipping out and cutting between them. Stepping forward, she caught the younger girl's focus, blue eyes piercing into hard brown, and watched as her smirk dropped away into a grimace. She met the blonde's stare and studied it for a second, as though deciding on her best course of action, and then nodded stiffly, head barely moving.  
  
“Ubroukai,” she stated, the word spoken more like a curse than a title, and then lifted her head and turned to walk away, not sparing either of them another glance as she began making her way down the street. Clarke watched her for no more than a few seconds and then turned a worried look over to Lexa, finding the other girl still watching her walk away with clenched teeth.  
  
“Lexa?” she murmured, speaking quietly so as not to draw any extra attention to them, and at her name the Commander's tension seemed to deflate. Her shoulders sank slightly and jaw loosened, glancing down at the blonde and giving her a small nod.  
  
“I am okay, Clarke,” she replied, and then when the blonde just raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not believing her, she relaxed further, the corners of her mouth rising some. “I am,” she assured her again. “I will not let Ontari get to me.”  
  
“Good,” the queen said. “She's just trying to bait you.” The Commander let out a little noise of confirmation, eyes flickering once again to where Ontari had just disappeared around the corner, and then added quietly, “I do admit though, it all would be easier if she had been one of the traitor's who died in Keerie. I know I just promised not to tell you who you should kill, but I would not be upset if you decided she was more trouble than she is worth.” Clarke couldn't entirely contain her grin, shaking her head but feeling the tension drain out of her as Lexa flashed her a small smile.  
  
“Come on,” Clarke told her, nodding towards where her friends still sat, not at all subtle in their glances over to the two of them. Lexa looked at the group and then looked up, trying to determine roughly what time it was, and then shook her head. Turning back to the queen, she informed her, “Unfortunately, I should go. There are some others I need to talk with today, and I should check with some of the clans to make sure they have been able to settle into the city. But I would still like it if you and your mother and Marcus would join me for dinner tonight. There is much we should talk about before the first council meeting tomorrow.”  
  
“Sure Lexa,” Clarke agreed, a little disappointed she had to leave but understanding why. The Commander gave her another little smile and then shifted, glancing over the camp before looking back at the blonde. “Why don't you and Abby and Marcus meet me at Polis Tower an hour before sunset? I will make sure to have dinner ready, and we can all talk.”  
  
“Sounds good,” the queen said, returning her smile, and once again she saw that slight glow in green eyes she knew no one else ever got to see. “I will see you soon then, Clarke,” Lexa told her, wanting to reach out but holding back. The blonde nodded to her, also making sure her hands stayed down at her sides no matter how much they itched to reach up. “See you soon, Lexa.” The Commander returned her nod and then turned, walking away before her heart could convince her to stay, and Clarke watched her go, almost letting out a laugh as Ryder seemed to appear out of nowhere and slip into step behind her. Letting out a silent sigh as the crowd swallowed them up, the queen finally turned and began making her way over to her friends. Before she even got to them she could see Raven's smirk and Taigon's knowing look, his eyes dancing in a way similar to Lexa's own.  
  
“Glad to see you're still standing,” Raven called to her when she was only halfway to them. Her smirk grew, eyes glancing back to where Lexa had disappeared in the streets. “The Commander looked like she was about ready to string you to a tree when you two came back. I take it she found out about your little talk with the Desert King?”  
  
“She did,” Clarke answered, reaching them and then sitting in the small open spot on the log next to the friend she barely ever saw now. Across from her, she watched as Taigon's brow rose in amusement.  
  
“You survived, then?” he asked. “It appeared as though she might do more than simply glare at you.” She grinned, shrugging slightly as she admitted, “She might have done a little more than just glare, but in the end I think she understood why I did what I did.”  
  
Reese, looking back and forth between Clarke and Taigon, frowned. “What happened?” she asked, clearly unimpressed that she didn't know what was going on. “Why was Heda mad at Clarke?” The queen looked at her Second, flashing her a smile, and just told her, “It's nothing Reese, don't worry. The Commander and I just had a little argument, but we've figured everything out.”  
  
“Good,” Thom declared with a nod, getting up from where he sat beside Taigon and moving over to the blonde. “Cause I don't want you and Heda to fight. It's no fun.” Clarke grinned at him, reaching out and pulling him up on her lap, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I agree,” she said, “No fun at all.”  
  
“And what about Ontari?” Octavia asked, lifted an eyebrow at her, lips pressed together. Clearly she and the others had seen that little interaction between the three of them, and Octavia at least wasn't ready to let it go. Clarke just let out a long sigh, leaning forward and gently resting her chin on Thom's shoulder, staring at the unlit fire pit in front of them.  
  
“Ontari is a problem,” she answered, voice almost quiet as her mind began to whirl. “A problem I have to figure out.”  
  
“Well you better figure it out soon,” Octavia advised, meeting her look as she glanced up. She looked as though she were about to say something, noticed Thom and Reese still there and thought better of it, and then instead said, “You know she has problems of her own she's trying to figure out, and it'll be better for all of us if you figure it out before she does.”  
  
“I know, Octavia,” Clarke informed her, feeling Thom shift slightly on her lap. Arms tightening around him, she stared back into the fire pit, once again trying to go over every problem Ontari presented and looking for a solution. She knew Octavia was right and that she needed to come up with something soon, or she'd have more than just the rest of the clans trying to figure out a way to kill her. In many ways Ontari was her biggest threat, and one she needed to deal with sooner rather than later. “I know.”

***

With nearly an hour to sunset, Clarke, Jojesh, Octavia and Raven made their way through the streets, the Skaikru camp just ahead. Adjusting the strap of the bag she carried over her shoulder, Clarke couldn't help but grin as they drew closer, a number of the faces milling around the camp familiar to her and ones she'd missed over the past three months. One particular group stood out from the rest, and it was this group they headed towards, nearly reaching them before someone looked up and noticed them.  
  
“Clarke!” Monty exclaimed, smile immediately growing as soon as he saw her. Eyes flickering over to Octavia, he added, “Octavia!” He jumped up from where he'd been sitting and dashed over to them, arms flinging around the blonde. Clarke laughed, just as happy to see him, and quickly returned his hold. “Monty!”  
  
“Hey hey,” Miller drawled, getting up slower than Monty had and crossing his arms over his chest. One corner of his mouth tilted up into a smirk, eyes going from Clarke to Octavia. “If it isn't the Grounder Queen and her badass warrior. How you two been?” He reached out as he spoke, linking arms with Octavia and patting her shoulder roughly.  
  
“Good,” Octavia replied as Monty stepped back, making room for Harper and Monroe to both move in and link arms with Clarke one at a time, the three all shooting smiles at each other. “We've been good.” Monty moved over to give her a quick hug as well, one she returned even as her eyes swept over the group, moving to the two who had held back a little. She felt a slight tug in her chest at seeing her big brother, never aware of how much she missed him until she saw him again, but let her focus glide over him for the moment. Eyes on Jasper, trying to study him without being too obvious about it, she asked, “What about you guys?” For a second Jasper met her eyes and her chest ached, seeing the hardness that had grown in his eyes ever since Maya died and missing the easy-going guy he had once been, but then that hardness melted away just a little. He stepped up, taking Monty's place as the other boy moved, and wrapped his arms lightly around her.  
  
“We've been good too,” he answered, feeling her quickly return his hug. Pulling away a little, he gave her a crooked smile. “Nobody's died recently, so I guess you could say we're doing great.” The joke fell a little flat, Monty shifting awkwardly beside him while Octavia's grip on his arms tightened for a second before she let go, but he ignored it. He looked over at the other friend he hadn't seen in a while, briefly glancing at the large warrior only a few steps behind her, and then met a set of wary blue eyes. Things still felt strained between him and Clarke even after that rescue mission to save her, and he knew she felt it too. Nevertheless he gave her a grin and partial nod. “Hey Clarke.”  
  
“Hey Jasper,” she replied, returning his nod. She couldn't decide how she felt about him being there. She missed him, that much she knew, but the Jasper she really missed was the friend she'd had before Mount Weather, and she knew the boy in front of her hadn't been him for a long time. He was no longer the same miserable person he'd been while she'd been living at Arkadia, she could see that much, but there was still enough of the Jasper who had tried to kill Lexa left for her to worry. She assumed her mother and Kane knew what they were doing, allowing him to come to Polis, but even so she couldn't help but notice the little tug of uncertainty in her gut.  
  
Before she could spend more than a long second studying him, Bellamy stepped up beside him and her focus shifted, easily reading his expression as he met her eyes. “Clarke, can I talk to you?” he wanted to know, gesturing away from the group, and she frowned even as she nodded. The others didn't put up any kind of argument as he stepped away and she followed, clearly still used to this kind of thing, and when they moved the gaps they left were immediately filled in, their friends shifting closer as Harper and Monty began hounding Octavia with questions. The only person who followed them was Jojesh, sticking close to his queen as always, but when Clarke looked back at him and gave him a small smile, he stopped and she could practically see the sigh he let out at the silent request.  
  
“What's up, Bellamy?” she asked him once they were alone, looking back at the last person she had believed would be her friend after crashing to the ground. One hand ran roughly through his thick hair, tugging it back before releasing it, and he looked down at her.  
  
“This thirteenth clan thing,” he began, and her eyes widened slightly, quickly looking around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. The corners of his lips curled up into a brief smirk, clearly entertained by the thought he would be dumb enough to mention it when someone could hear, and then almost immediately that smirk wiped away and he frowned. “Are we really sure it's a good idea? You know just as well as I do that it's just gonna piss a bunch of people off, and everything's going fine right now. Do we really need to do this?”  
  
“Yes Bellamy, we really do,” Clarke replied, keeping her voice quiet. Even with no one near them, she couldn't shake the worry of someone hearing more than they needed to. “I don't know exactly what my mom and Kane told you, but Lexa's right, this is the only way to try to prevent another war.” She noticed his jaw clench and his expression harden, and Clarke just rolled her eyes. “Oh come on Bellamy...”  
  
As though only just noticing his reaction to the mention of the Grounder leader, he held up his hands, eyes widening slightly. “Hey, I'm not trying to start anything here Clarke, really. You guys all say she just wants to help and figure out a way to prevent this next war, and okay, maybe she does, but is this really the way to do it? Forget the fact that we're gonna have to try to convince these other clans to go along with it even though it's obvious they hate us, we're also gonna have to convince our own people. Sure, things have been okay with us and the Trikru since you and O became part of the Azgeda, but being on friendly terms and becoming another clan are two totally different things. It's going to be nearly impossible to get our people to go for it.”  
  
Clarke reached forward, fingers curling in a firm grip around his bicep as she raised her eyebrows at him. “Being a good leader isn't about doing what's easy, or what's going to make those who follow us happy,” she informed him. “It's about doing what we have to to keep them safe. This plan? _This_ is the way we keep everyone safe.” Gripping his arm once more before letting her hand fall away, she gave him a look. “And you're right, people aren't going to be happy when they find out, so you better be ready to support it, whether you like it or not.” She nodded back to their group of friends, the group still huddled together, Raven telling some story that Harper seemed to keep interrupting. “They all look up to you, Bellamy,” she informed him, and then gestured around the camp. “All of them, everyone in Arkadia looks up to you. If they see you're not on board, it's going to be that much harder to make this work. And this needs to work.”  
  
He studied her for a long moment, eyes scanning her face, and then nodded. “I don't know if I agree with this whole thing,” he stated, folding his arms across his chest. He gave a little shrug, expression softening a little, and admitted, “But I guess I understand the idea behind it. I'll do what I can to help.” Brow furrowing a little again, he added, “But if it looks like this is just a way for the Grounders to take control of us, I won't just stand back and let it happen.” Clarke nodded, internally hoping it never looked like that so they'd be able to circumvent any added issues that would cause, and then they both turned when they heard her name called, finding Abby and Kane both heading over to them.  
  
“Hey Mom,” she called, her mother immediately wrapping her up in a hug as soon as she was close enough. Looking over her mother's shoulder as she returned the hug she nodded to Kane. “Kane.”  
  
“Hello Clarke,” he replied, giving her a smile. Stepping up to Bellamy he grasped the young man's shoulder, turning his smile on him as well. “And Bellamy.”  
  
“Sir,” Bellamy said, nodding to him, and then glanced back over at their group of friends. “I'll see you later, Clarke,” he told her, flashing her a grin. “Thanks for talking with me. Chancellor.” He nodded to Abby as she pulled away from her daughter and then repeated the gesture to the other two before breaking away and moving back over to their friends. As though he'd just been waiting for his departure, Jojesh returned to Clarke's side as soon as he passed.  
  
“Alright then,” Kane let out, his hands rubbing together in front of him as he looked from the daughter to her mother, a large smile on his face. “Let's go see the Commander.”  
  
“She said she'll be waiting for us at Polis Tower,” Clarke informed them, her thumb slipping beneath the strap of the bag still resting on her shoulder and adjusting it, the slight weight of its contents beginning to cause a dull ache in the muscle. Abby nodded while Kane's smile only grew, holding out his hand towards the street. “Wonderful,” he declared. “Lead the way!”  
  
Once again Clarke found herself making her way through the streets of Polis, somehow managing to remember where she needed to go. She and her mother talked a little as they walked, Kane adding to the conversation every now and then and Jojesh following along silently. Somehow they made it to the tower without running into any trouble, and the queen felt her smile grow a little when she saw Lexa already waiting for them in front of the entrance. She seemed to have zeroed in on them the moment they appeared down the road, watching them as they approached and nodding as the distanced closed between them.  
  
“Chancellor,” she stated as they stopped, looking at the older woman before glancing at the man beside her. “Marcus.” The blonde noticed the minute shift in her expression as she turned to her, eyes softening in a way only she would notice. “Clarke. Thank you all for agreeing to join me again this evening.”  
  
“It's our pleasure, Commander,” Kane replied, giving her a big smile. “Thank you for inviting us.” She nodded again and then shifted slightly, turning towards the entrance to the tower. “Come,” she said. “I have had a meal prepared for us inside. I was hoping we could use this time to talk.” She didn't say what it was she wanted to talk about, but they all knew, and the Chancellor tilted her head in agreement.  
  
Lexa led the way inside, the others all following along after her, and soon they found themselves back in the elevator, the tiny room lifting them ever higher. She couldn't say for sure, but Clarke felt certain they rose even higher than they had the previous night, high enough that she was more than happy to get off when the elevator finally stopped. She and Lexa stepped out first and then her mother and Kane followed them, Jojesh bringing up the rear, and at seeing him Clarke's eyebrows rose, realizing who they were missing.  
  
“Where's Ryder?” she asked quietly, shooting Lexa a look out of the corner of her eyes. The Commander's lips twitched up briefly, before she answered, “I dismissed him about an hour ago. I told him I did not foresee myself leaving this tower for the rest of the night, and there are enough guards in here I do not need another to follow me around.” As though to prove the point, two warriors stood in front of the pair of closed doors at the end of the hall, both standing up a little straighter when they saw who was approaching. One stepped forward and opened one of the doors for them, and they both bowed their head respectfully at Lexa as she passed. Clarke stopped by them, letting her mother and Kane pass her, and then looked at Jojesh.  
  
“Jojesh, you can go back to the camp now,” she told him, trying to give him a reassuring smile when he just looked down at her. His eyes flickered to the two warriors standing by the doors and she fought to hold in the sigh she felt building in her chest. Instead of letting out the sigh she just waited, both of them knowing without her needing to say anything that she had no plans of leaving the tower again that night either, and finally he just nodded.  
  
“Sha Ubroukai,” he replied, nodding, and then he turned and began making his way back down the hall. She smiled, glad he hadn't tried to put up a fight, and turned back into the room, one of the two warriors closing the door behind her.  
  
With her focus on her bodyguard, Clarke hadn't really noticed anything about this new room when she first stepped inside, but now as she turned her eyes widened.  
  
The room was long, easily the longest single room Clarke had ever stepped into before. A long faded carpet created a path from the door to a raised dais at the other end, the same throne Lexa had been sitting in when they'd first met set regally at its center. Candles littered the walls, even more balancing on sconces hanging down from the high ceiling, only about half of them lit. A table that seemed to almost be dwarfed by the size of the room looked as though it had been quickly set up at the center point of the carpet, four places set at it and what looked to Clarke like a feast laid out along its surface. At the far end of the room a balcony jutted out into the air, the walls giving way to this great opening covered only at its sides by the sheerest of curtains. Light only now beginning to turn orange from the setting sun filtered into the room through it, easily lighting everything inside and making the many candles hardly necessary.  
  
“Please sit,” Lexa invited them, gesturing to the table. “There is no reason we cannot talk while we eat.” The three guests quickly agreed, each moving to the table, and soon they were all sitting, staring at the food for a moment before they began to help themselves. Part of what Clarke thought must have been a boar laid on a large dish, the meat still steaming and giving off a scent that had her stomach rumbling. Along with it she found a number of roasted vegetables, a loaf of bread beaded throughout with nuts and dried fruit, and fresh berries that looked like they might have just been picked that morning. A pitcher of water sat by the spot at the head of the table they had left for Lexa, and the Commander began to pour them all water as they began to fill their plates.  
  
“Commander, this all looks wonderful,” Kane let out in a breath of amazement. Lexa gave him a small smile, clearly proud of their reaction to what she knew was a simple spread compared to some of the other meals they would see over the course of the next few weeks. “Thank you,” she replied, finally pouring water into her own cup before setting the pitcher down. “There are some great cooks in Polis, and I am lucky that they always seem happy to prepare food for me and my guests.”  
  
They all began to dig in, conversation light and sparse as they ate, none of them wanting to really focus on anything but their food. Clarke tried some of everything, mouth nearly watering every time she took a bite of boar. Lexa had brought her one or two of the vegetables over the winter while she had been living alone in her cave, but nothing she'd ever done with them had been as good as this. She picked around the nuts and fruit in the bread and helped herself to more of the fresh berries, her stomach more than satisfied with everything she put in it.  
  
It wasn't until they were drawing close to the end of the meal, each of them slowing down, that Abby finally turned the conversation towards why they were really there.  
  
“So tomorrow,” she stated, leaning back in her chair and looking at the Commander. Lifting an eyebrow, she asked, “What's going to happen?”  
  
Lexa placed the forkful of roasted vegetables back on her plate, meeting the Chancellor's eyes as she looked over to the older woman.  
  
“The clan leaders will all meet in here for the first council meeting mid-morning,” she answered easily, just as ready to switch to this necessary conversation as Clarke's mother was. “It is there that I will announce the addition of Skaikru to the coalition, so you will need to be there as well, Chancellor.” Turning to Kane, she told him, “Each leader is allowed to bring no more than two guards with them, so you can be there as well, Marcus, but you will not be able to speak.” Returning her attention to the entire table, she gestured to either side of the carpet as she explained the next part. “There will be chairs set up for each of the clan leaders and their people will stand to the side of the room, there only as a precaution. No one is allowed to bring any kind of weapon into the meetings, but trying to convince some of the leaders that their guards are unnecessary is an argument I have given up on.” She caught a brief glimpse of Clarke's grin before the blonde could fight it back down, and only just managed to keep herself from smiling in return. She was sure the queen was imagining what those arguments must have looked like for her to actually back down from them. Whatever she was picturing, Lexa wanted to tell her the reality had been worse: for a group who were supposed to be the strong leaders of their people, some of the clan leaders acted like real yongon when told they couldn't have their guard with them. In the end, she had only truly backed down when a good portion of the leaders were bringing their partners as one of their guards, knowing that these other people had a right to know what was being decided even if they didn't get an actual say in any of it.  
  
“We will have council meetings every morning,” she continued, leaning back a little in her chair as she looked between the three of them. “We will use these meetings to discuss trade routes, clan disputes, farm land, whatever any leader needs to talk about. I doubt anything more will be discussed tomorrow other than the Skaikru becoming the thirteenth clan.” Meeting Abby's gaze, she warned her, “Be ready: I do not believe many of the leaders will be happy about it. Some will want to know why we should welcome you into the coalition and others will simply refuse it. I will be telling them all that it was my idea, but only you will be able to speak on behalf of your people.” Looking over, she met blue eyes that were watching her intently, and told the queen, “You may want to speak up for your mother and the Skaikru, but you will want to be careful, Clarke. There will already be enough unrest among the leaders about a Sky Person becoming the Ice Queen; if you seem to still be focused on them, the leaders will question your loyalty more than they already do. You will have to be careful of how much support you show for those who were your people.”  
  
“I know,” Clarke said, giving her a nod. Her fingers fiddled with her fork, tapping it lightly against the table simply for something to do while she stared in front of her, mind whirling. She was about to step out onto a tightrope where she would have to be careful to maintain her balance of her old life with the Skaikru and her new life with Azgeda. If she ever leaned too much towards the people she'd chosen to leave the rest of the clan leaders would cut down her tightrope and hang her with it. As difficult as it would be, she would have to sit back and let her mother convince the rest of the leaders of the Sky People's worth on her own.  
  
From the moment the Commander had started speaking, Abby's brow had furrowed, the lines around her mouth deepening as she went. “So in the morning we have the council meeting and tell the rest of the clans that we're joining the coalition,” she repeated, focus going from Lexa to her daughter and then back again. “What's next?”  
  
“Tomorrow night is the first true celebration,” Lexa continued, back straightening slightly. She met the Chancellor's gaze, her expression perfectly even, and internally braced herself. She hadn't mentioned this next part the previous evening, and had no idea how the older woman would react to it. “The first night is when any new clan leaders bow before me and swear their allegiance to the coalition. They are marked then to prove they have sworn their clan to the coalition.” She gestured to both Abby and Clarke, noticing the way the Chancellor's frown deepened and queen's brow furrowed. “You both will have to take part, as you are the new Queen of the Ice Nation, Clarke, and you are the leader of the newest clan, Chancellor. Other than you, there will be one other who must take part in the ceremony. The previous leader of the Shallow Valley Clan died over the winter, and now his son must bow as their new leader.”  
  
“We have to... _bow_ ,” Abby repeated, the idea clearly not one she had considered or wanted to consider. “And get marked? What kind of mark?”  
  
“It is a brand,” the Commander answered, not wavering beneath her look. “Every leader must bare it. To refuse it would be refusing to accept the laws of the coalition.” Abby still didn't look pleased, so Clarke decided to speak up. “Marks are important to them, Mom,” she informed her, pulling the Chancellor's attention to her. She gestured vaguely to the balcony, referring to the many people outside. “It's like the tattoos or scars so many people have: they tell stories and status. It sounds like accepting this brand would be like any of us swearing an oath.” She frowned for a second, briefly looking away, and then corrected herself. “Any of you swearing an oath.”  
  
The older woman still didn't seem particularly happy about it, but in the end she just let out a sigh, expression relaxing a little. “Okay,” she finally said, giving in with a little shrug. She looked back at the Commander, just managing to see the spark of pride that flashed across her eyes as she glanced at her daughter before hiding it away. As she asked her next question, the young leader looked back at her, face once again devoid of anything but a calm interest in the conversation. “We bow and we receive your mark; what happens after we're officially the thirteenth clan?”  
  
Lexa gave a slight shrug, her shoulders barely lifting. “Tomorrow we celebrate the entire coalition: after that we will be celebrating each individual clan. Each will have one day where the leaders will all take part in that clan's most sacred ceremony. Every clan is different: some tell stories of the clan's history, others perform certain rituals that were only known by their own people before the coalition. Some celebrate through food, others through dance.” She nodded towards Abby, telling her, “The Skaikru will have their day, so you will have a chance to share some of your people's customs with us and teach us your history, if you would like.” Glancing at Clarke worriedly, she continued, “You will be expected to lead the Ice Nation ceremony, Clarke. Do you know...?” Before she even finished speaking, the blonde began to nod.  
  
“Jojesh didn't know a ton about these celebrations, but he knew that much,” she informed her, putting some of Lexa's worries to rest. “He and some of the others have been teaching me their histories and major ceremonies, so I shouldn't have any problem.”  
  
“Good,” Lexa stated with a nod, lips twitching to give her a tiny smile. “Then that is something we won't worry about. Do you have any ideas what you will choose to do, Chancellor?” She caught Abby and Marcus watching each other, almost as though they were having a silent conversation, and in the end it was him that nodded. “I don't think we'll have a problem coming up with something,” he answered, flashing her a smile. The Chancellor nodded in agreement, and Lexa felt another small worry leave her. “Good,” she replied, and then leaned forward a little, pushing her plate further up the table. “Now that we have taken care of that, let me tell you more about each of the clans.”  
  
As the sun set behind them, Lexa told them more and more about each of these new clans and the people who led them, giving them so much information that soon Abby found herself wishing she could write at least some of it down. The three all listened, taking in as much of it as they could, and by the time the Commander stopped speaking they could all feel this new knowledge swirling in their minds, headaches beginning to form along their temples. It was a lot to absorb but they tried to take in all of it, knowing they needed to be armed with as many details as possible for the morning. Darkness had crowded into the room as she spoke and now the light around them came from the many candles, their flickering flames casting endless shadows against the stone around them.  
  
“Thank you, Commander,” Abby said as she stood up, trying to ignore the way her back cracked as she moved. Lexa had spoken and they had asked their questions, and now it was time for her and Kane to go over everything they learned and create a plan for the next few weeks. “This was all very helpful.”  
  
“You are welcome, Chancellor.” Lexa followed her up, her hands folding neatly behind her back as she nodded to the older woman. Clarke and Kane both rose as well, Kane popping one last berry into his mouth and smiling. Even with all the uncertainty that waited for them tomorrow, he didn't seem worried, only excited. Clarke was once again staring off, mind clearly buzzing with ideas and information as she tried to plan for what would come.  
  
“Thank you again for the meal, Commander,” Marcus said, moving over and reaching out to her. Lexa returned the gesture, clasping his arm, and didn't try to stop the smile that played along her lips. “I am glad you enjoyed it, Markus kom Skaikru,” she replied honestly.  
  
Abby stepped around the table, going over to her daughter. She knew Clarke was lost in her planning, but that didn't stop her from pulling her into a hug, surprising her. “Goodnight Clarke,” she murmured, her cheek pressing against the blonde's. “I'll see you in the morning.”  
  
“Night Mom,” she replied, returning her mother's hug. Abby began to step away and bumped lightly against the bag still over her shoulder, and suddenly she remembered why she'd brought it. “Oh Mom, hold on, I have something for you,” she told her, seeing her mother's eyebrows lift as she stopped, glancing down at the bag. Clarke reached in, pulling out a board and smaller sack carefully, and held them out to her mother, watching as her eyes widened.  
  
“Clarke, I...” Abby trailed off, momentarily speechless. Her fingers ran lightly over the surface of the board, barely brushing against the small squares painted onto it. Hand trembling slightly, she reached into the small sack Clarke handed to her, pulling out three little figurines and brushing against others. Each had been carved out of wood, two of the figures so light they were nearly white while the third was a dark ebony. While her husband and daughter had played the game more often than she ever did, she could easily recognize the rook, knight and pawn in her hand, and the chess board held out in front of her. “How did you...?”  
  
“I had it made for you,” her daughter answered. “One of my craftsmen carved all the pieces and prepared the board for me, and I painted it.” Lips curling up into a smile, the queen looked down at the board and sack of playing pieces, knowing just how beautiful they all were without having to look at them. After seeing some of the other items Luca had carved, she'd had the idea and sketched out the pieces for him, the craftsman immediately intrigued by these new designs. He'd made this and a few other sets, playing around with the designs of each piece with each new set he created. She decided to save the original for her mother, knowing how much she would appreciate the familiar game and memories that came with it. Seeing the way her eyes began to water, she knew she'd been right.  
  
Carefully Abby placed the board on the table, and then swept her daughter into her arms for another hug. Pressing her face against Clarke's, she felt her throat begin to burn as she held her daughter tight. “Thank you,” she whispered, unable to get out anything else. She felt the pressure as her daughter squeezed her back, and then heard her quiet reply. “You're welcome, Mom.”  
  
Pulling away, Abby left a soft kiss to her daughter's forehead and then carefully gathered up the board and chess pieces. Flashing a final smile to her daughter and then nodding over to the Commander, she began making her way out of the room, Kane quickly falling into step beside her. As the door opened and then closed behind them, her grip on the gift tightened, a beautiful pressure squeezing around her heart.  
  
Lexa watched the interaction between mother and daughter, unsure of the significance behind the board and little carvings, but easily picking up on their importance. She hung back, not wanting to interrupt, until the two Sky People left the room. As soon as the door shut behind them, she made her way over to Clarke, head tilting to the side.  
  
“That made your mother very happy,” she noted, lips curling up as Clarke looked back at her. With the freedom their isolation brought, she reached out, heart seeming to settle back in place as her palm rested gently along the blonde's back. She caught the queen's smile, the motion only causing her own to grow, and watched her as she replied, “It was a chess board. Do you remember me ever talking about that game?” Lexa nodded, nearly telling Clarke she remembered everything she ever said to her, but holding it back instead.  
  
“You and your friend Wells used to play it,” she answered, thinking of one of the stories Clarke had told her on one of the nights they had shared her cave. “You said your father taught you, correct?”  
  
“Yeah,” Clarke replied, returning the nod. “When I was really little I'd watch my mom and dad play it, and then when I was old enough he taught me how to play. I could never beat Wells, and only beat my dad a few times, but mom and I were pretty even, I think.” She shrugged then, glancing back at the door. “I just thought it was something she'd like.”  
  
“She loves it, Clarke,” Lexa murmured, taking another step closer to the blonde and giving her a soft smile. “You made her very happy.” The queen flashed her a thankful grin, and then that grin grew, reaching back into the bag. “Actually, I had one made for you too,” she said, making Lexa's brow shoot up. “I thought I could teach you.”  
  
“Clarke, thank you, but I'm not sure now is the best time for a game,” the brunette replied carefully, trying not to let her mind wander to everything they had going on around them. Pulling out a second little bag, the queen shook her head, lightly pushing it into Lexa's free hand.  
  
“It's a game that is entirely about strategy, Lexa,” she informed her. “In order to be any good at it you have to be able to think multiple moves ahead, all while trying to keep your opponent's possible moves in mind as well. That sounds exactly like the kind of game we need right now.” She nudged Lexa's shoulder, raising her eyebrows. “Besides, with the letters we sent back and forth during the spring, my guess is you have a pretty good grip on reading now, so we probably don't need anymore reading lessons, and I like being able to teach you something. It's fun, and gives me an excuse to spend time with you.”  
  
“You never need an excuse to spend time with me, Clarke,” Lexa replied, small smile growing as she watched Clarke's do the same. Any resolve she might have had crumbled as she met bright blue eyes, and she felt herself let out an internal sigh. “Alright, how does one play this game?” she asked, giving in and glancing down to the little bag in her hand. She could feel a number of small items inside it, and debated for a moment whether or not to reach inside, not really wanting to remove her hand from the blonde's back. Clarke removed the decision from her when she stepped away, and Lexa frowned before controlling her expression.  
  
“First let's find somewhere else to set it up,” the blonde told her, glancing around the large room. “We don't need this much space for it. We can take it to my room.”  
  
“If you would prefer, we can go to my room instead,” Lexa offered, meeting blue eyes as they shifted back to her. “It is on this floor, so we would not have to go very far.” Clarke nodded, more interested than she wanted to admit about being able to see what the other girl's room looked like.  
  
They left the council room, Lexa telling Clarke as she glanced back at the table and what was left of their dinner, “Do not worry, it will get taken care of,” and made their way down the hall, bypassing the elevator. They walked as far as they could before they reached another door, another warrior standing outside this one who also was quick to bow her head to the Commander. Lexa returned the gesture with a simple nod and then led the way into her room, stepping back as soon as she entered so that Clarke could look around.  
  
Nothing could have prepared Clarke. She walked inside and instantly stopped, jaw dropping just a fraction.  
  
A small desk with a mirror attached to its top stood off to one side of the room, a crack running through the very top of the glass. In the center of the room a small couch and chair were set up around a table, a number of candles covering its surface and already let. Dozens more candles littered the room, some on other tables and many hanging in metal globes from the ceiling, all lit and flames flickering. More thin curtains covered what had to be windows, the dark of the night hidden behind the worn fabric. In front of one of the windows an easel had been setup, something Clarke imagined wasn't always there and had only been added recently. Tucked into the same wall the desk sat against stood a small fireplace, the fire currently unlit with a black kettle hanging over it. Off of the room Clarke saw a small alcove, what she assumed must lead to some kind of bathing area, and along the same wall as the entrance was another door, hanging open just enough for the blonde to get a peek of Lexa's Commander gear hanging inside. A bearskin rug laid out in front of them, a few other carpets littering the floor where she imagined Lexa spent most of her time so that she wouldn't have to always be walking on the cold stone. One such carpet laid at the foot of her bed, and the bed is what finally stole Clarke's breath away. The great mattress laid on a frame of vines, the wood carved into such intricate patterns of vines that twined and twirled together that they almost looked like they could be moving. Rather than a headboard, the designer of the frame had created a great labyrinth of vines that rose many feet into the air, enough space in it that even more candles were set inside, their flames far enough away from the wood not to catch it on fire. Beside the bed stood a little nightstand comprised of a single little drawer and cabinet. The sheer simplistic beauty of the room stole the queen's breath away as she tried to take it all in.  
  
“What do you think?” Lexa asked, suddenly a little nervous. She seldom had others come into her room other than to light her candles or help her get ready for some kind of ceremony. She watched Clarke as she slowly looked around the room, feeling as though she herself were on display, and only relaxed when the blonde looked back at her, something akin to awe glowing in her eyes.  
  
“Lexa, it's _beautiful_ ,” she murmured, unable to think of any other way to describe it. Looking at that bed again, she shook her head, lips curling up into a little smirk. “Honestly I can't believe you didn't bring me straight to this bed last night. I love the room you prepared for me, but that is the greatest thing I have ever seen.” The brunette smiled, an exhalation of air that could have been a laugh escaping before she could stop it.  
  
“I apologize for neglecting to show you the bed sooner,” she teased, eyes dancing with amusement. “You are welcome to stay here tonight though. You are welcome in it whenever you wish.” Clarke grinned, lifting an eyebrow at her, and Lexa dipped her head, lips tugging up in a smile. “I did not mean that in the way it sounded, although you _are_ welcome in it whenever you wish.” Clarke laughed, shaking her head, and Lexa allowed herself to get lost in the sound.  
  
“I almost forgot what a smooth talker you are,” the blonde joked, stepping further into the room and once again looking around. Lexa followed after her, not taking her eyes off of the queen.  
  
“So what do we need for this game?” she asked, and Clarke replied over her shoulder, “Just some space to set up the board.” Lexa nodded and then moved to the table, carefully removing many of the candles there and setting them on her desk. As she shifted them around, making sure not to blow out any of the flames, Clarke sat on the couch, pulling the game out of her bag. With the candles now out of the way, Lexa sat in the chair, watching as the blonde began setting up the little pieces in two lines on either side of the board.  
  
“There are six different types of pieces,” Clarke began, glancing up at the Commander as she continued to set the board up. She pointed to each as she identified them, Lexa following along with her. “There are the pawns here in the first row, and then the rook, knight, bishop, king and finally the queen. Each piece moves across the board differently, trying to capture the opponent's pieces as they go.” She lifted up the piece she had labeled as the king, holding it between them. “The game ends when one of the kings is in checkmate, which just means there's no way to keep it from being captured. The king is the most important piece on the board because of that, but it's also the weakest.” She handed the king over, Lexa reaching between them to wrap her fingers around it. The smooth wood felt cool beneath her skin, her thumb brushing over it.  
  
“What makes it weak?” she asked, glancing at the blonde. Grabbing the other king, Clarke moved it to the center of the board, moving it as she explained. “It's weak because it can only move one space in any direction. That makes it easier to trap and capture. You have to use your other pieces to help protect it, while trying to capture the other one.” Moving the king back to its original square, this time she picked up the one beside it, what appeared to be a crown with twin daggers crossed inside it carved carefully at its top. “Because she can go as far as she wants in any straight direction, the queen is the most powerful piece.” Again she demonstrated, sliding the queen across the board in various directions, and Lexa felt her lips curl up into a smile. “Of course she is,” she agreed, her tone making Clarke roll her eyes even as she returned the grin. Lexa picked up the second queen, studying the piece closer and ran the tip of her finger over the crossed daggers.  
  
“Luca decided to add those,” the queen informed her, noticing what she studied. “Daggers aren't usually part of any of the pieces, but when I described them to him, he decided the queen should have her weapons.”  
  
“As she should,” the Commander stated, carefully placing both king and queen in their spots along the board. Clarke shot her a smile and then grabbed another piece, demonstrating its movement and then moving to the next until she'd given a brief description of each. She continued to explain the rules and Lexa listened intently, her forehead creasing slightly as she attempted to take it all in.  
  
Soon Clarke had them playing, explaining even more as they each moved their pieces, correcting the brunette whenever she moved a piece incorrectly or explaining why a move was either good or bad. As the pieces along the board slid from one square to another, Lexa couldn't help but glance up every now and then, seeing the way the blonde's mood shifted. Soon she slipped her feet from her boots, legs crossing on the couch as she leaned forward, focus narrowing on the game, and the Commander could only partly pay attention to what was happening. The game, while interesting, was no where near as intriguing as the other girl as she played, and all Lexa wanted to do was watch her. For a little while she managed to hide her distraction, but when she didn't notice it was her turn to move, too busy studying the way Clarke's hair brushed against her jaw as she leaned even closer to the board, the blonde glanced up, grinning as she met a green stare.  
  
“Lexa,” Clarke said, waiting as those green eyes flickered over to her own, soft and clearly distracted. Internally she debated with herself for a second, letting her eyes fall back to the board. They hadn't gotten very far in the game, but decided they'd have plenty of time in the next few weeks to get back to it. Besides, as much as she loved this game, that bed had been calling to her ever since they entered the room. Standing up, she nodded back to it while meeting the other girl's eyes again. “Come on,” she just said, “Let's go to bed.”  
  
“But the game,” Lexa began, looking quickly back to the board, and the blonde shrugged. “We'll keep playing another night.” She didn't give the Commander a chance to say anything else, turning and making her way to the great piece of furniture. Rather than wait for Lexa to join her, she fell against the mattress, letting out a long sigh as she felt the soft fur brush against her cheek. The minute her body hit it she sunk into the fur, exhaustion suddenly pulling at her bones as she realized what a long day it had been.  
  
The Commander watched the other girl cross the room and fall against the bed, lips quirked up in a small smile. Glancing back down at the board, she slowly shifted it to the center of the table, careful not to knock over any of the pieces still on it before she too stood up. Rather than go straight to the bed as Clarke had, she turned in the opposite direction, moving towards her desk and then began blowing out the candles. As smoked curled slowly into the air she moved over to the next cluster, repeating the process with them.  
  
Clarke watched Lexa make her way from candle to candle, blowing out each little flame, and suddenly she felt the fear begin crawling up her spine, climbing up a single vertebrae at a time. The good mood she'd been in disappeared as easily as the fire Lexa extinguished, her heart beginning to beat faster in her chest. Subconsciously her fingers curled into the fur beneath her, gripping tightly against it. The darkness on the opposite side of the room grew, creeping towards her, and the panic began burning in the back of her throat.  
  
“Lexa,” she called, interrupting the brunette even as she blew out another candle, this one closer to the bed than the table or desk. The Commander must have heard the fear she tried to hide, must have felt the sudden shift in the room, and looked over curiously at the blonde, frowning.  
  
“What is it Clarke?” she asked quickly, scanning the queen's face. In an instant she took in the tight grip the other girl held on the fur, the slight clench of her jaw and the fear poorly hidden in her eyes. Moving over to the bed she reached out, wanting to pull her close, but let her hand hang limply for a moment, unsure what had caused this change.  
  
“The candles,” Clarke got out, glancing from Lexa to the candles that still burned around her and then to the dark side of the room. “Can we... Do you mind if they stay lit?” Lexa's frown grew even as she nodded, still studying the blonde, and Clarke clenched her eyes shut.  
  
She hated this. Absolutely hated it. For three months now she hadn't been able to sleep without candles around her, panic always settling in her gut whenever darkness surrounded her. It made her feel like a child again, this fear of the dark, and had tried to hide it from everyone else, but knew she couldn't hide it from Lexa.  
  
“The dark,” she tried to explain, forcing her eyes open and briefly meeting the Commander's again before she looked away, embarrassed. “I can't sleep in the dark anymore.” The fingers of her left hand ran nervously over those of her right, feeling two smooth fingernails and three rough ones, nails that would never quite return to what they had been before she met Nia. “The building she kept me in didn't have any windows,” she continued quietly, and she heard Lexa shift, clearly knowing immediately who she was talking about. The mattress dipped and then a hand entered her vision, gently clutching her knee. The blonde slipped her fingers through Lexa's, looking up again, and found the other girl watching her, expression all at once both understanding and hard. “There were torches lining the inside. Somebody always changed them out before they died, but sometimes when she was done questioning me, she'd have them removed. Light couldn't even really get through the cracks around the door, so when that happened it was pitch black. I couldn't see anything, nothing, and never knew how long she planned to leave me in the dark. I got myself through it, obviously, but now I just...” She shrugged. “Now I can't do it. I start to panic if it gets too dark, so I leave the candles in my room burning all night. I tried a couple of nights to sleep without them, but couldn't. One night my hands were shaking so bad by the time I tried to re-light the candles that I dropped my flint before I could get any of them lit and had to crawl around to find it. Now I just leave them lit.”  
  
Clarke looked away again, clearly embarrassed by the admission, and Lexa tightened her grip on the other girl's hand before dropping it. Without a word she stood back up, moving straight to the little stand beside the bed and kneeling down, opening the cabinet and pulling a small bag out of it. Cradling it against her stomach, she sat back down on the mattress, moving closer to the blonde, and waited until the other girl was looking at her again before holding the bag out.  
  
“After Nia handed me what... what I thought was Costia's head, I had nightmares,” she began softly, her tone low as she told her own story of terror. Clarke watched her as she spoke, reading the emotions that flashed across a face that for once didn't fight to hold them back, and just listened. “One nightmare, every night for a month. The moment I fell asleep I would dream of that moment, of Nia swearing herself to my coalition and then handing me the bag. I felt it all, over and over again. I only ever woke up after the head was in my hands, Costia's eyes staring at me without any life in them. Every time I tried to sleep...” She trailed off, eyes shutting as her head shook slightly. When they opened again they immediately met Clarke's, the blonde seeing the horror that still haunted her in them. “I would not have survived it, if not for Taigon. He found these herbs that allowed me to sleep without dreaming.” Her grip on the little bag tightened, a finger brushing against it. “Every night for a year I drank a cup of tea made with these herbs.” Her brow furrowed, staring off to the side of the room for a moment. “I do not know what it is like to fear the dark,” she murmured, and then looked back, eyes all but boring into the queen's. “But I do know what it is like to fear what is inside your own mind. I understand that panic of not being able to fight back against something you are powerless against.” One hand reached out, easily falling to Clarke's. She gripped the other girl's fingers, expression raw, open, eyes scanning the face of the girl she loved. “You do not need to be embarrassed by your fear, Clarke. Not with me. We all are haunted by something.” Pulling the pale hand up, her lips brushed faintly against its back, the skin warm against her mouth. “I am just glad you are still alive to fear the dark. I don't believe even my tea would have gotten me through it, if I had lost you too.”  
  
“You didn't,” Clarke breathed, grip tightening on the Commander's hand and pulling her closer. Gently she reached out with her other hand, plucking the bag of herbs from the brunette and setting it on the side table, before wrapping it around the brunette's back. They tumbled back against the mattress together, holding each other as close as possible, eyes refusing to look anywhere but at each other. “We both survived, Lexa,” the queen murmured, face so close to Lexa's that she felt her breath against her skin. “And we'll continue to survive. Together.” The Commander's lips twitched, eyes nearly glowing as she pushed even closer to the blonde.  
  
“We will do more than that,” she insisted, voice strong as she stared at the woman she loved. “Together we will do so much more than just survive, Clarke. I know it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has any ideas of ceremonies you'd really like to see for one or more of the clans, feel free to let me know. I want them each to have their own individual rituals/beliefs/etc. to show, and have a good number already planned out, but am always happy to get thoughts from others. I can't promise I will use anything/everything that is suggested, but I can promise to consider it all. If you do have a suggestion, feel free to leave it here or send it to me via my Tumblr, clarkethewanheda.
> 
> Thanks everyone, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! More to come soon!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Ontori, daun ste pleni" - "Ontari, that's enough!"  
> "Yongon" - "Children"


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a fairly good amount of Trigedasleng in this chapter, including some words that I created myself. As always, the translations are all listed at the end of the chapter, and I've indicated which ones I came up with myself. Hope you enjoy!

When Clarke and Lexa walked out of the Commander's tower the following morning, they found Jojesh and Ryder both already there, waiting for them. The queen could have easily let out the sigh she held back, partially wondering if her shadow had positioned himself outside the tower all night, while Lexa managed to keep her lips from curling up. After years of being followed everywhere she went by one person or another, she was used to people waiting for her and falling into step behind her; Clarke it seemed had not yet gotten used to it.  
  
Neither said a word to her warrior, though the queen made herself flash Jojesh a smile while the Commander nodded solemnly to Ryder, and the four simply began making their way through Polis, the streets relatively quiet in the early morning. Many had yet to get up and greet the day, only a few vendors out and prepared for those couple of people already out and about, so for once the trip to the Azgeda camp was an easy one. Upon their arrival, Lexa didn't even try to stop her slight smile as they found Reese and Thom waiting for them, Thom yawning on the steps while Reese stretched beside him.  
  
“I am glad to see you both up,” she called out as they drew closer, and both children turned to them, Reese's excited grin growing while Thom let out another yawn.  
  
“She wouldn't let me sleep,” he accused, pointing at the young girl with a quick glare, a look that she barely acknowledged. “Of course we're up,” Reese said instead, jogging over to the two leaders and their guards. “We've got training to do!” Thom rolled his eyes but pushed himself off the steps, making his way over to the group at a much more sluggish pace.  
  
Lexa's eyes twinkled a little as she looked between the two of them, clearly amused. In many ways, the two bore a strange resemblance between the relationship she and Taigon had had when they were much younger, and it was perhaps this that gave her such a soft spot for them. She'd always had a soft spot for children, but she knew she'd be lying if she said these two didn't mean more to her than most. “We do,” she agreed, nodding at Reese, and then looked sympathetically at the little boy. “But you know you do not need to come with us if you do not wish, Thom. You can go back to bed if you would like.”  
  
His eyes widened, any trace of exhaustion almost immediately wiping from his face as he stood up taller. “No, I'm okay!” he declared, shaking his head. Looking at the queen, he grinned as he asked, “Are you gunna train with us too, Clarke?”  
  
The blonde returned his grin with a small smile, but shook her head, and they all watched as his face fell a little. “I'm sorry Thom, but I can't,” she told him, looking over at Reese as well. “The first council meeting is today, and I have too much I need to do to get ready. But maybe I'll be able to join you guys tomorrow.”  
  
“Can we go to the council meeting?” he asked, and nearly at the same time they both shook their head.  
  
“I'm sorry Thom, but no, you cannot come to that,” Lexa said, and when they saw him frown Clarke knelt down, one hand going to his shoulder. “You're not gonna be missing anything,” she promised, squeezing his shoulder and giving him a small smile. “It's just going to be a bunch of adults sitting around and talking. Really boring. You'll have more fun back here.”  
  
“But what about me?” Reese wanted to know, just managing to stop herself from putting her hands on her hips. “I'm your Second; shouldn't I go with you?” Clarke opened her mouth to say something, closed it as she glanced at Thom, and then looked back at her. “Not this time, Reese,” she repeated, and then gave in a little. “But maybe another time you can come with me.” Thom didn't like that answer, and his scowl told her so immediately.  
  
“Hey, no far!” he exclaimed, glaring at Reese who was doing a bad job of hiding her happiness. Turning back to the blonde, his glare didn't lessen. “How come she's gonna be able to go and not me?”  
  
“Cause I'm her Second and I'm older,” Reese informed him, just making his scowl deepen. He opened his mouth to argue, but Heda cut him off.  
  
“That is enough, both of you,” she ordered, voice far gentler than it would be were she speaking to adults but still firm. They both went quiet, Reese immediately turning to attention while Thom crossed his arms in front of him, far from appeased but knowing not to argue anymore. “As warrior or healer, it is your job to listen to your leader when she speaks, not argue with her. Do you understand?”  
  
“Yes Heda,” they chorused, one upbeat and one mumbling almost unintelligibly. She let it go, and then looked back at Clarke, nodding at the blonde who was trying not to let her own amusement show. “I will see you at the council meeting, Clarke.” Meeting blue eyes turning serious, she felt the mood shift between them, the thought of what was soon to come hanging over them both. “Good luck,” she nearly murmured, wishing she could say more but knowing better in the open street. They had shared their encouragement with each other that morning before leaving her room, but that didn't keep her from wanting to reach out and pull the queen in for another kiss. Clarke must have read it in her eyes as easily as she could read the same thoughts in restless blue. “You too, Lexa,” she replied softly, nodding. Lexa returned the motion and then turned around, leading the way towards the training grounds, Reese following right at her side, Thom just a step behind, and Ryder dutifully bringing up the rear.  
  
Clarke watched them go for just a second, and then turned away, ready to get to work. Before the council meeting she had a few things she needed to do to get ready, and she figured this was as good a time as any to start. Glancing over at Jojesh, the warrior still silently beside her, she braced herself for the argument she knew was likely about to take place.  
  
“Jojesh, I need to talk to you,” she told him, and he raised his eyebrows, all he needed to do for her to know she had his full attention. Figuring it would be better just to say it and not beat around the bush, she continued, “You're not coming to the council meeting with me.” He hadn't been expecting that, and didn't even try to hide his surprise or his displeasure.  
  
“Ubroukai, you need to have a guard with you,” he argued. “You will be surrounded by people who want to hurt you, and will need someone there to protect you in case anything goes wrong.”  
  
“I know the people in that room aren't going to be happy I'm there,” she replied, shifting her weight slightly. “I know I need to have someone there as a guard, and I already know who it's going to be. You I want right here.” He grit his jaw, about to say something else, but she didn't let him. “I have no way to know if these other clan leaders would stop at trying to just hurt me or if they might try to use my people against me. Hektar and Enit didn't care if I was the only one who was hurt in their assassination attempt, otherwise Enit wouldn't have been getting ready to fire with everyone around me. If anyone tries anything, I want you here to protect our people. I need you to be able to protect your family.” This finally made the warrior pause, the clench of his fist at his side getting tighter before it loosened, meeting her eyes with a hard look. He nodded then, clearly unhappy about it, and they both knew the argument was over. Clarke had known bringing up his family would do the trick; as loyal to her as he was, he could never put anything above his family. She'd seen that months ago with Nadia, the girl she knew they both still mourned over. “Very well,” he finally just said, and then asked, “Who will you take as a guard?”  
  
Noise and the call of her title behind them saved her from having to answer, and they both turned to see his mother and father emerging from the building, Sef in his grandfather's arms and Echo following a step behind them. Clarke returned the smile the grandparents were giving her and moved towards them, the smile softening as Sef looked up at her and grinned.  
  
“Ukai!” he called, reaching out towards her, and she happily let Kurtis transfer the toddler over to her. The little boy's arms wrapped around her neck tightly, face pressing briefly against her neck, and her arms around him tightened.  
  
“Monin Sef,” she said to him, and then looked to his family and smiled at them. “Monin.”  
  
“Monin, Ubroukai,” Kila replied warmly, arms stretching over her head as she tried to work the sleep out of her system. Kurtis nodded his own greeting, and then met her eyes, forehead creasing as he gave her a look. “ _Are you ready for today?_ ”  
  
“Sha,” she told him, sounding more confident than the ball of nerves growing in her gut made her feel. She knew that in all likelihood this first meeting would define the way the clan leaders viewed her for the next few weeks; if she messed this up it would only make everything more difficult. She had her plans ready, everything thought out as much as it could possibly be, but that didn't make her feel any better. Still, she knew better than to let any of her nerves show. Unfortunately, the way the older man was looking at her, she was pretty sure she wasn't doing as well at hiding them as she wanted. She ignored that fact, doing the best she could at pushing the nerves down even more, and turned to his wife.  
  
“ _Kaila, would you help me get ready soon?_ ” The grandmother nodded, clearly more than happy to help, and then they heard, “I would be happy to help as well, Ubroukai.” Clarke looked past the family in front of her, finding Niylah moving over to them, looking wide awake as though she'd been up for hours already. The queen flashed her a smile, one that the older girl quickly returned, and nodded. “Mochof, Naila.”  
  
A tug on her hair pulled Clarke's attention away from the rest of the group, and she turned back to the little boy still in her arms. Apparently he'd had all he could take of being held at the moment, and wanted to be put back down to go exploring. She grinned at him, pressing a quick kiss to the side of his head, and then placed him on the ground. “ _Go make your uncle Joujesh and Ekou chase you,_ ” she told him, and as though he were obeying her order took off, arms out and running into the street while laughing with his new found freedom. Jojesh gave her a look and Echo glared at her, one hand propping against her hip.  
  
“Why would you do that?” she asked, exasperated, and Clarke flashed a grin at her. “Cause it's fun watching you chase him,” she replied teasingly, and the warrior's eyes only narrowed further. “ _Sleep with one eye open, Ubroukai,_ ” she warned, a threat that would have her pinning anyone else down beneath her blade if she heard it uttered to her queen, but only made the blonde's grin grow coming from her. Jojesh grabbed her by the arm and the two took off after the toddler, jogging after him as he continued to run away.  
  
Kila's eyes twinkled, her laughter apparent in them. “ _I love it when you do that,_ ” she admitted, leaning closer towards her queen, and Clarke's amusement shone right back at her. “ _I know,_ ” she replied, “ _That's why I do it. That and it's fun to watch._ ” Kila let out a loud chuckle, head shaking, and the blonde's smile just grew.  
  
Clarke let herself watch the two warriors chasing down the toddler for a couple of minutes, before two figures at the edge of her vision caught her attention. Silently preparing herself for what might be another argument, her smile fell away, her own attempt at the Commander's mask taking its place. She'd begun building the mask of calm indifference almost since the moment she'd met Lexa, getting better and better at hiding her thoughts and feelings with every time she had to use it. She knew her mask was far from the nearly impenetrable one Lexa had crafted years ago, her emotions slipping through it now and then and sometimes far too easily, but it would do for now. She left the grandparents to keep watching their grandson try to evade the two following him, and made her way over to the two warriors she trusted the least.  
  
“Roan, Ontari,” she greeted them simply, barely even giving them a nod. The large man looked down at her, nodding back. “Queen Clarke,” he replied, his tone formal and without emotion. He had his own mask, one she'd yet to see him without, and wondered what would happen the day he finally let it fall away. Ontari didn't say anything, just gave her a look, raising her eyebrows in what might be mild interest.  
  
“You two are going to be my guards at today's council meeting,” she informed them, leaving no room for argument in her tone, even though she half expected one anyway. She'd spent a lot of time trying to figure out what she was going to do with them, her two biggest threats within her own clan, and so far this was the best idea she'd come up with. If she was going to spend her time trying to convince people she deserved to be Queen of the Ice Nation, she might as well work to convince everyone at once. She wouldn't feel as safe having the two of them with her as she would if it were Jojesh and Echo or Octavia and Lincoln, but she knew she already had their loyalty: Roan and Ontari were wild cards, in Ontari's case basically an enemy already, and she would rather have them close by than far away.  
  
Strangely enough, neither tried to argue. Ontari's eyes widened in shock and then narrowed, clearly trying to decide if this was some sort of trick, while Roan's forehead crinkled, eyebrows lifting a little before he nodded.  
  
“If that's what you want,” he simply replied, tone still even, and Clarke returned his nod. “It is,” she told them definitively. “We'll be leaving in about an hour for Polis Tower, so be ready. You won't be able to take any kind of weapon inside the council room, so leave your knives here, please.” That Ontari looked like she was ready to argue with, a scowl growing along her expression, but rather than let her try Clarke turned away, making her way back towards the center of their camp where Niylah and Jojesh's family still stood. On her way, the queen made eye contact with Octavia, the warrior and Lincoln apparently having appeared at some point during her conversation with Roan and Ontari, and just nodded slightly when she saw the other girl raise an eyebrow at her. The younger warrior glanced back over at the two she left behind, watching them skeptically, and then just shrugged, turning back to Lincoln. Clearly she figured Clarke must have a hold on whatever was going on; internally, the blonde prayed she did.  
  
“Kila, Niylah, come on,” she called to them, interrupting whatever conversation they were having. As they all looked to her, she nodded towards the building, knowing everything she needed to get ready for the council meeting was already inside. “It's time.” They both nodded, moving away from the group to go to her, and then the three made their way inside, the nerves in Clarke's gut beginning to buzz harder with every step she took. Her first major test as Ice Queen was quickly approaching, and she just hoped she was ready for it. 

***

Unlike the previous night, when Clarke approached the council room its doors already stood open, a guard at attention on either side. Before she and her people were allowed through, one of them stepped forward, holding his hand out to stop them, and searched them, looking for any sign of concealed weapons. Clarke and Roan stood silently, not fighting it as he searched them, while Ontari shot daggers at him the entire time he patted her down. The queen almost audibly let out the breath she'd been holding, silently wondering whether either of them had actually listened to her order to leave their knives behind, when the guard stepped back, nodding and letting them through. She returned the nod and took those final few steps, looking into the room as she did.  
  
The table they had eaten at had been carried away, as had the chairs with it. Instead others lined either side of the carpet still rolled out, six on one side while seven stood on the other. Fewer candles were lit than had been the night before, while the curtains lining the balcony were pulled back, securely fastened to the walls to allow more natural light to filter in. The barest of breezes blew in from the opening, barely helping to cool the muggy heat of the summer day, but even so Clarke was thankful for it. The jacket she wore already had her sweating, beads slipping down the length of her back, but she couldn't take it off. For now all she could do was leave it unzipped, her much lighter shirt beneath it far more comfortable where the jacket didn't cover it up. Less of her hair than usual ran down her back, the braids Niylah had woven into it helping to pull it back some, and that at least helped combat the heat.  
  
Stepping into the room, Clarke found she wasn't the first to arrive. A woman with dark skin and a shaved head stood to one side, speaking quietly to a man with skin only a couple shades lighter and a very square jaw. Clarke watched as her dark eyes flickered to her, expression barely changing as she took the newcomer in. Her companion looked back as well, glancing over the blonde as though he were sizing her up, and then returned his attention to the woman. A young man with long limbs sat in one of the chairs closest to the doors, looking as though he might be trying to hide his nerves. Standing just behind his chair she found Elia and Elana, Elia with her arms crossed while Elana's hung loosely down at her side. Both peered at her as she entered the room, but neither said anything to her. Clarke figured the man sitting in front of them must be Tey, the new leader of the Shallow Valley Clan, and suddenly understood his nerves. Just like her, it would be his first time representing his people among the rest of the clan leaders. At the far end of the room she saw two faces she recognized, and couldn't help but smile as one of them turned to her, beaming brightly as soon as he saw her.  
  
“Wanheda!” Shet exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air in front of him. Clarke made her way towards him, Roan and Ontari a few steps behind, and clasped his arm as he held it out for her. “It is good to see you again!” She felt his grip tighten slightly along her arm, and returned the pressure.  
  
“It's good to see you again too, Shet,” she replied, grinning as she added, “I hope you've been staying out of trouble.” He let out a laugh, a corner of his mouth curling up higher, but didn't try to confirm or deny her words. The queen's attention shifted as Indra stepped up beside him, her thumb hooked against the spot of her belt Clarke knew she usually kept her knife, and was almost surprised to find the older woman actually smiling at her, albeit only slightly.  
  
“Wanheda,” she greeted with a nod, eyes scanning Clarke's before she too stuck out her arm. The blonde released Shet and gripped Indra, returning her smile a little hesitantly. This was not something she had ever been expecting. “Octavia tells me you are doing well in the Ice Nation.” She peered over Clarke's shoulder, expression hardening a little as she met Roan and Ontari's stares. “I hope that is true.”  
  
“It is,” the queen replied, pulling her attention away from the two warriors. The last thing she needed was for Ontari to think she was challenging or threatening her. “It hasn't always been easy, but my people and I are figuring it all out.”  
  
Indra nodded, her eyes glancing behind the blonde a second later, and Clarke turned to follow their gaze. Sheni and Jace, the leaders of the Glowing Forest Clan Lexa had pointed out to her yesterday, walked through the door, moving so gracefully Clarke thought for a second they might be floating. Right behind them walked a woman with long blonde hair that spilled over her shoulders and ran down her back, not a single braid anywhere in it. Beneath the hair the woman's shoulders were bare, something that Clarke felt envious of as another trickle of sweat ran down the back of her neck, the skin there almost entirely covered in blue ink that swirled and danced down her arms. At her back were two people, one who she remembered Lexa pointing out yesterday, and as Hutch scanned the room she could easily make out the blue tattoo running down the side of his neck. The woman beside him today was not the same one who'd been with him yesterday, her full lips pursed and dark eyes slowly sweeping around the room. She too had a tattoo, but hers seemed only to twist around her arm.  
  
“Shenai en Jeis kom Trishana,” Indra informed her, tone low. “Esta kom Ouskejon. Behind her are two of her guards, Tami and Hutch.” She looked pointedly then at the young man sitting across the room. “Tei kom Louwoda. His guards-”  
  
“Elia and Elana,” Clarke interrupted, nodding. “I met them yesterday.” Understanding flashed across the chief's face and she just nodded. Continuing on, she glanced at the other two in the room, still standing by the wall. “Valia kom Podakru, and her guard Micha.” Almost as though she had heard her name, the leader of the Lake People looked over at them, briefly locking eyes with Clarke, and the Ice Queen allowed herself to study the other woman right back. She didn't look away until she heard a voice she immediately recognized from all the questions it had once peppered her with calling out her first Grounder title. She grinned, breaking her eye contact with Valia to turn back towards the doorway only to find a young girl nearly running towards her.  
  
“Wanheda!” Shayne cried, eyes big with wonder and excitement. Clarke watched as she barreled down the long carpet, heading straight for her. She half expected the young Second to run right into her arms as Reese and Thom so often did, but she stopped just before she could and bowed deeply, still grinning at the blonde.  
  
“Heya Shein,” Clarke greeted, still smiling, and for one reason or another the girl's grin grew. “Hello Wanheda,” she replied, fighting to stay calm. “It is an honor to meet again.”  
  
“It's an honor to see you again too,” she agreed, glancing up as the young girl's leader walked far more calmly towards them. The queen could read the amusement in the older woman's eyes, clearly not at all upset about her Second's entrance into the room, and flashed her a smile. “And it's an honor seeing you again as well, Luna kom Floukru.”  
  
The leader of the Boat People easily returned her smile. “I have been looking forward to seeing you again for quite some time, Wanheda.” Her eyes twinkled as her brow lifted. “Or should I call you queen now?” Clarke shook her head, reaching out her arm.  
  
“Wanheda is fine,” she replied, grasping Luna's arm as the woman grabbed hers. “But just Clarke would also work.”  
  
“Clarke,” Luna repeated, lips curling up into an easy smile. “I also prefer to be called by my name than a title, so I will remember that.” Clarke felt her lips curl to match the other woman's, but before she could say anything back their conversation was interrupted.  
  
“How did you do it, Wanheda?” Shayne wanted to know, eyes bright with the same curiosity Clarke remembered seeing in them as they road through the woods together so many months ago. “How did you beat Queen Nia? We heard stories, but want to know from you.” Clarke's good mood fell a little bit, thoughts flashing back to the power-hungry girl who had captured and tortured her, but tried not to let it show. Even so Luna must have seen the shift, as she turned and gave her Second a look.  
  
“ _Shein, enough,_ ” she just said, her voice even but the warning tracing the edges of her tone. “ _Now is not the time to ask such questions._ ” Immediately the young girl ducked her head, ashamed and embarrassed and unable to meet their eyes, and Clarke felt her lips twitch back up.  
  
“You know Reese is here,” she told her, the girl's head picking right back up. “I know she misses you and would love to see you again. You made being a Second sound so amazing that now she's mine.”  
  
“She is?” the young girl asked, excitement once again flooding her expression, until her brow furrowed, confused. “Then why is she not here?” She glanced at the two warriors standing off to the side but still near enough that they were obviously Clarke's, and then looked away when the girl just glared at her. “I had a couple of other people who needed to come with me this time,” Wanheda answered simply, not even bothering to glance back at her two warriors. “But I have a feeling she'll be coming to a couple eventually, and probably hate every minute of it. She prefers being able to train than sitting around and listening to people talk.”  
  
“Ai seintaim,” she agreed with a roll of her eyes, and then, as though just realizing what she'd said, looked sheepishly at Luna. Without missing a beat, one of Luna's arms fell to her shoulder as she repeated, “Me too.” Clarke and Shayne both smiled at her.  
  
While they talked, more people entered the room. The next time she looked up, Clarke's gaze swept over two more faces, one who the queen made sure to make eye contact with. Hektar grit his jaw when he met her eyes, one of his hands clenching momentarily into a fist before he sat down heavily, looking away. The young man who followed him studied her for just a second before looking away as well. A man with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail already sat in one of the chairs, staring calmly in front of him while a terrifying man with weathered skin stood not far behind him, glaring at anyone who dared to meet his eyes. Before she could get more than a quick look at these newcomers, three more people entered the room, and as they did nearly everyone already there gave them curious looks. Abby didn't waver under the looks, barely even glanced at those staring at her, her attention almost immediately falling to the small group at the opposite end of the room before she made her way over to them. Kane tried nodding to a few of the people they passed, getting nothing but stares in return, and Clarke noticed Bellamy's jaw clench tighter the further into the room they went.  
  
“Chancellor,” Indra said, clearly surprised, glancing first at them and then to the others in the room. “What are you doing here?” Abby's eyes swept over them, staying on Clarke for half a second longer than the rest, before she stopped in front of them.  
  
“The Commander invited me,” she replied, the answer given so easily that Clarke knew she must have decided on the half truth before entering the room. Rather than wait for the chief to ask any other questions, she smiled at Luna, holding out her arm. “Luna, it's nice to see you again.”  
  
“It is nice to see you again as well, Chancellor Abby,” Luna replied, reaching up and returning her hold. “I hope you have been enjoying Polis.”  
  
“I have been,” Abby answered, giving her a nod, and Clarke looked curiously between the two of them. “You've met before?” she asked, wondering how they could already know each other, and her mother and the leader of the Boat People shared a smile.  
  
“Luna met us at the entrance to the city with the Commander when we got here,” her mother informed her. “We've been able to talk a little since then. She's even invited some of us to go visit her village sometime so we can take a look around their library.” The other woman simply shrugged when Clarke gave her a look, raising her eyebrows, and said, “The books there are of no use to my people; they should be used by those who can read them.”  
  
“You honor us with your generosity,” Kane told her, smiling warmly at her, and Luna shook her head even as she returned the smile. Their conversation continued, Indra and Shet getting pulled into it before long, and as they talked Clarke let her focus split, half paying attention to them while simultaneously looking around the room again. As she looked around, a woman with almond-shaped eyes walked into the room, her back incredibly straight and posture perfect, two others trailing after her. Along her torso she wore a wrap that covered only her chest and then wrapped around the back of her neck while a skirt hugged her hips before flaring down her legs, and once again the queen couldn't help but feel envious in her hot jacket. The younger woman behind her glanced around suspiciously, even as her expression appeared almost bored, while the man beside her walked easily, completely relaxed. His body was built like a tree and he walked as if he could never be thrown off-balance, but the laugh lines around his mouth threw away the intimidation that would normally come with someone so solidly built. Of the three of them, he appeared to be the most at ease, following the woman in front of him while only briefly glancing around the room. The first woman walked down the center of the room without speaking to anyone, and for a second Clarke thought she was approaching them until she turned only a couple of feet away and took a seat in one of the chairs. As she did, the blonde caught a flash of the green tattoo covering her bare shoulder, and realized this must be Cela, the leader of the Broadleaf Clan. She didn't even glance at their group, simply gesturing to the two following her, and they stepped back, moving towards the wall not far behind her chair.  
  
Only a moment after Cela sat, yet another person walked in, his steps slow and deliberate, and when Clarke saw him she felt herself smile. Not even a full step behind Daniel was Danias, the younger man's eyes sweeping the room as though it were second nature to do so, and when he noticed the blonde his lips pulled up into a grin.  
  
“Queen Clarke,” he called, giving a little bow as he and his leader continued into the room. “You are looking even more radiant this morning than you did yesterday.” The blonde's lips twitched, still not entirely sure what to think about him but certainly amused, and quickly made her way over to the duo, leaving her group behind. As she walked towards them, she noticed Daniel's elbow shoot out, far faster than she would have thought possible for his age, and connect solidly with the younger man's side. Danias winced slightly but didn't stop grinning, even as his leader lectured him.  
  
“Don't try to distract her,” Daniel reprimanded, giving him a look. “And don't even try to charm her, she's way too good for you.” Holding back a laugh, Clarke smiled at the old man.  
  
“Good morning, Nontukri,” she said to him, giving him a small nod. He nodded back at her, a little twinkle in his eyes, as he replied, “Good morning, Ice Queen. Are you ready for this?” Vaguely he gestured to the room and people around them, many of the leaders and their guards pretending not to watch the interaction, and Clarke lifted her head higher. “Ai laik ogud,” she informed him, and his lips pulled back into a thin smile. “Very good,” he approved, reaching out and squeezing her arm.  
  
Footsteps approached behind them, and Clarke looked over her shoulder, finding her mother moving over to them and watching the interaction, curiosity as well as caution in her eyes. The queen stepped out of the way, making it easier for the two to see each other, and introduced them. “Grandfather, this is my mother, Chancellor Abbi kom Skaikru. Mom, this is Daniel, the leader of the Delphi Clan.” Abby reached out to grasp his elbow but instead the man captured her hand in both of his, giving it a tight squeeze. Surprised, she met his eyes, finding a whirlpool of emotions swirling in faded blue.  
  
“It is one of the greatest honors of my life, getting to meet you, Chancellor,” he informed her quietly, that same honor clear in his tone. “As a young boy I grew up listening to stories about the people who rode off into space but never did I think I'd still be around when you came back.” Her surprise spiked for a moment and then her lips curled up into a smile, and she reached out with her other hand, grasping his.  
  
“Thank you,” she replied, glancing over to Clarke and then back again. “It was always our hope to make it back to the ground. We always knew this was our home, was where we belonged, and we're very happy to be back.” The blonde nodded and Daniel smiled, clutching her hands once more before Danias grabbed his arm lightly, tugging at him.  
  
“Come on old man, let's get you to your chair,” he drawled, winking at Clarke over his leader's head, and she watched as Daniel's smile immediately turned into a scowl. “I'm not so old that I can't stand for five minutes,” he complained, “And I'm certainly not too old to beat you, so be careful who you're talking to.” Nevertheless he allowed Danias to lead him towards one of the chairs, slowly sinking into it as soon as he could. Clarke and Abby watched them go the few steps, both trying not to grin as the old man grumbled. Nodding one last time to the two while they got Daniel settled into his chair, they turned and made their way back to the other end of the room where their group was still gathered.  
  
Abby quickly fell back into the quiet conversation with the adults, and again Clarke had to fight her grin when she noticed Shayne behind them, rolling her eyes and letting out a long sigh, clearly bored already. She was ready to go over to the young girl when her gaze continued on, finding Bellamy standing off to the side as well, his expression hard. His eyes darted around, clearly trying to keep account of where everyone was in case of any trouble, and she felt her urge to smile fall away. Stepping over to him, she reached up, lightly grasping his arm and pulling his attention to her and away from the rest of the room. When he glanced down at her, eyes still hard, she simply lifted her eyebrows, as though silently telling him to relax. For a moment nothing changed, his muscles still tense, and then slowly she felt him begin to relax next to her. Almost as soon as he did however they heard stomping at the other end of the room, and immediately his muscles tensed again. Rather than focus on him, she turned, attention pulled to the commotion behind her.  
  
A man, bigger in muscle than height stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed as he looked around the room. His gaze froze as it fell on her, and Clarke felt the nerves begin to fly around her stomach once again, this time with the smallest twinge of fear with them. She held strong under his harsh glare, not allowing anything to show as she simply tilted her head up higher and refused to break their stare. One of the man's fists clenched and he began to take a step towards her, but before he could someone reached out, clasping his arm tightly in long fingers. When he looked away the queen did too, glancing at the two people just behind him, and recognized them from when Lexa pointed them out in the crowd the day before. Mita leaned towards the man, muttering something near his ear, her eyes fierce and expression sharp, while Asta stood at his other side, arms crossed almost lazily over her chest. When Clarke looked at her she realized the older girl was already looking at her, mild interest showing in intelligent eyes. Where her father appeared unable to contain whatever had angered him, she held herself together with calm scrutiny. Mita pulled her brother to the side, still speaking quickly and quietly, and Asta followed after them more slowly, waiting another few seconds before finally looking away from the queen.  
  
“Who is that?” Abby asked, her voice low. Clarke turned to find the others all watching the same thing she'd been, and noticed how tightly her mother's lips were pursed.  
  
“That is Asher, King of the Rock Line Clan,” Luna answered. There was more of a bite to her tone than Clarke had ever heard in it before, and she had a feeling more than what they'd just witnessed had caused it.  
  
“He is a fool,” Indra bit, the words lashing out even if she did speak quietly. The leader of the Boat People nodded, obviously agreeing, but said, “He might be a fool, but he is also a great warrior; he wouldn't be king if he wasn't.”  
  
“Looks like he doesn't like you, Clarke,” Bellamy muttered, focus still on the big man across the room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his fingers twitch, and knew he was wishing he had his gun. “Still think all this is a good idea?”  
  
“It'll work,” she promised, even as another person entered the room and many of the leaders not already sitting began moving to the chairs. As their group began to break up, she whispered quietly, “It has to work.”  
  
Titus strode down the length of the room, hands clasped behind his back as he made his way towards the raised dais where Lexa's throne still sat. As he passed her, the man's eyes narrowed momentarily, jaw clenching, and Clarke just held her head up higher. She moved to one of the only chairs left, one of the ones at the end of the rows closest to the throne, and sat, fingers lightly gripping the ends of her armrests. Titus stepped up onto the dais, turning sharply towards the rest of them, and stood proudly in front of the throne.  
  
“Gyon op gon Heda,” he demanded, and the room flooded with the sounds of chairs sliding against the hard floor as the leaders all stood, Abby rising only a hair after the rest of them. The thirteen leaders stood in front of their chairs with their warriors standing along the walls behind them, all waiting and watching the open doorway. Because the door was open, Clarke could see Lexa before she even entered the room, but it wasn't until she did and the light hit her that she stole the blonde's breath away.  
  
Lexa walked along the length of the carpet, posture perfect, hands down at her sides and chin tilted up, the very image of cool confidence. She wore her Commander gear, her pauldron buckled over her left shoulder with the vivid red sash attached to it, trailing down her back behind her like a flag any warrior would know to follow. Her face was free of her war make-up, only thin lines of black traced along her eyes that made the green of her stare pop even brighter than normal. As she stepped off of the carpet and up onto the dais, her boots echoed against the bare floor. Titus stepped back as she stepped up, bowing low from his shoulders, and for a moment Clarke wondered if she was supposed to do the same until she noticed none of the other leaders had done so. The Commander barely acknowledged her adviser, instead simply moved to her throne and then turned on her heel, the motion at once both sharp and smooth. Looking out over those in front of her, Lexa sat, the move far too graceful for the queen not to notice, and then raised one of her hands, everyone's attention immediately drawn to it.  
  
“Sit,” she commanded, and as one the thirteen leaders did just that, sinking back into their chairs. Titus took his place to her right, standing just behind her with his hands still clasped behind him. As they sat, her gaze swept out over the room, taking in everyone there, and Clarke felt a shiver make its way up her spine when those green eyes fell on her for no more or less time than they had on anyone else. The young woman sitting above her was no less than Commander Lexa in all her glory and it was almost as though she could feel the power emanating off of her.  
  
“Welcome clan leaders,” Lexa began after they were all seated and the room had once again fallen silent. “Another year has gone by, and again we come together to celebrate the coalition, the uniting of our many clans. Together we mourn those we have lost,” she looked at Tey, the young man sitting in the seat farthest from her, who nodded, and then looked at Abby, “And honor the friendships we have made.” A few of the people in the room bristled at that, but Lexa didn't allow it to interrupt her, didn't even act as though she'd noticed. “We will use these next few weeks to celebrate each clan individually as well as the coalition as a whole so that we may become stronger as one people. Now we meet again after a year, the leaders of all thirteen clans together, to prepare for the upcoming celebrations. Let us begin.”  
  
Clarke closed her eyes, her grip on her armrest tightening as she waited for the explosion. Leave it to Lexa to announce her plan without actually making any kind of formal announcement. She'd spoken as though there already were thirteen clans, as though to believe anything otherwise would simply be foolish, her tone leaving no room for argument as though that would simply be the end of it. Neither of them believed for even a second that would be the case.  
  
“Chit?” Esta asked, clearly shocked, at the same time Sheni tried to clarify, “Moba Heda, thotin?” Asher began shaking his head almost immediately, eyes flashing. “No,” he growled, eyes piercing first the Commander and then Clarke and Abby. “Nowe!” Even Titus's eyes widened, hands unclasping and reaching towards the Commander, as though he were somehow trying to pull back the words that had just come out of her mouth. Before anyone else could say anything, Lexa's hand shot up again, the action grabbing everyone's attention as easily as the snap of her voice.  
  
“Enough,” she demanded, eyes flashing. “I have asked the Skaikru to become the thirteenth clan and join our coalition and the Chancellor has agreed. To honor this, we will speak in English during these meetings while she learns our language.”  
  
“Why should we welcome the Skaikru?” Valia asked, tone more curious than hostile, though Clarke could hear an under current of it lacing through her words. “From what I have heard, they have done nothing but cause problems.”  
  
“You sent your own messengers to tell of what they did to the Trikru,” Cela agreed, looking from the leader of the Lake People to their Heda still sitting above them. Glancing at Indra next to her, she added, “Surely you have not forgotten those they killed.” Indra's fists clenched on the arms of her chair, eyes flashing as she met the other woman's eyes.  
  
“The Trikru do not forget,” she growled, voice low and menacing before she straightened in her chair. “But the war we fought against the Skaikru has ended. We have maintained peace for months now; I believe the Commander is right to welcome them into the coalition. Already they have proven their desire for this peace to last by helping to rebuild my village after it was destroyed in the war against the Maunon.” A couple of people in the room shifted in their chairs or on their feet, the reminder of this enemy who had plagued some of them for so long like a wound that itched as it healed.  
  
“You speak of Tondc, Hegona Indra,” the man with the ponytail stated, spine straight and posture still, only his head turning to look at her. She nodded quickly, just one quick dip of her chin, and Clarke thought she saw something flash across his eyes. “Tell me then if the stories I have heard are true. One of the Skaikru warriors attacked your village, killing eighteen innocent lives, and yet these people still stand? As a leader it is our duty to protect our people, and you did nothing to avenge the elders and children, mothers and fathers who were murdered in your own village? And now you sit as general, the Trikru leader?” As though to show his repulsion to the story, Asher spat on the floor, loudly and directly on the carpet at his feet. Indra's lips curled up into a silent snarl, clearly offended by the accusation, but the Commander stepped in before she could say anything.  
  
“Perhaps you did not hear the entire story, Wocha Anoq,” Lexa spoke up, her voice perfectly even, as though she were only mildly interested in the conversation taking place before her, but her eyes were sharp as they met his. “The boy responsible for those murders was killed. Blood answered blood, as was required.”  
  
“Not in our way,” he replied, and for the first time he looked at the blonde sitting at the end of the line of chairs. “The Sky girl killed him, and quickly from what I have heard. He did not suffer for the suffering he caused.”  
  
“He was my responsibility at the time,” Clarke informed them, finally speaking up. She tilted her head back, ignoring the way her heart gave a painful clench in her chest at the thought of Finn, and didn't look away from him. “The Skaikru has different ways of dealing with crimes than the Trikru do.”  
  
“Skaikru,” Asher spat, grimacing when he looked at first Abby and then Clarke. “Why are we not calling them what they are? They are not kru, they are invaders. They invade Trikru territory and kill members of our sister clan, warriors and civilians alike, and we consider peace with them? Why? Why are we not gathering our armies and destroying them before they can try to destroy us? We are twelve clans: they do not stand a chance against us. Why bother to try with this foolish peace when we can destroy the threat?”  
  
“There may not be many of us, but you'll find we are strong,” Abby replied, speaking up for the first time. Her mouth drawn in a thin line, she looked towards the Rock Line King, telling him, “You could try to wipe us out, and maybe you would even succeed, but we would not go as easily as you think. My people made it through a crash landing from space; we know how to find ways to survive. We're tired of fighting and would like to finalize this peace if possible, but that doesn't mean we won't fight if you force our hand. With our weapons and technology, any war would be costly on your side as well as ours.”  
  
“Tek,” Hektar said, his nose scrunching up as though he smelled something foul. “You would be nothing without it.” Across from him, Esta looked as though she were thinking something through, mulling over some idea. “We might be more willing to consider the Skaikru becoming the thirteenth clan if they were not allowed their tek.” A couple of people's expressions shifted, as though they too were thinking it over, but Lexa put a quick end to those thoughts.  
  
“I have allowed every clan to keep their own weapons, no matter how different they are,” she stated, negating the idea. “I will not tell the Skaikru they cannot use the weapons they need for survival anymore than I will tell any of your clans that.” Anyone who had just begun to look like they might be about to consider it went right back to hard, immovable expressions.  
  
“The Chancellor makes a good point,” Daniel spoke up, his quiet voice ringing throughout the room. “Her people have technology; technology isn't inherently evil. We all fear it because of how the Mountain Men used it against our sister clans here in the northeast, but it does not have to be a bad thing. It is possible the Sky People could teach us things that have been otherwise lost for generations.”  
  
“We have mechanics and engineers,” Abby agreed, nodding down to him. “People whose job it is to build and create. Our people can teach yours while yours teaches ours.” Sheni and Esta both appeared to be thinking that over, expressions pensive, and internally Clarke wanted to smile, proud of her mother for beginning to maybe sway some of them. Not all of the leaders would be so easily swayed however, and that was obvious in the way Asher leaned back heavily in his chair.  
  
“She lies,” he declared, looking around the room. “The invaders want our land and our people. They have already begun trying to take it. Just look at her!” His hand shot out, gesturing to Clarke, and his lips turned up into a snarl. “Two of the invaders sit with us! We speak of these Sky People wanting to invade our coalition, but they already have!” Leaning forward in his chair, his fingers curled into tight fists, one banging against his armrest. “You want us to call you queen and accept you as Ice Nation? No!”  
  
“Droht Asher is right,” Cela agreed calmly, glancing at the blonde and then back around the room. “She is Skaikru, no matter what title she tries to give herself.” Hektar's grip on his chair tightened, leaning back, and it was obvious he wanted to agree but held himself back. At the very least Clarke's threat against him seemed to be working, a minor victory as most of the others in the room turned to her, some simply suspicious while others looked at her with outright hatred. She didn't let any of the looks change her expression as her gut wrenched, nerves making her almost want to throw up, and instead met them all coolly.  
  
“I can assure you I have never given myself any of my titles,” she simply replied, keeping her tone as even as possible. “As to where my allegiance lies, you are right that I was Skaikru, but now I am Azgeda and my loyalty to my people will always come first.” Behind her she thought she heard a light snort, but ignored Ontari, nobody else in the room either hearing it or thinking to address it either.  
  
“You are an invader,” Asher snapped back. “Just because you beat that weakling Nia does not make you anything else.”  
  
“What did you call her?” Ontari asked, taking a few steps out away from the wall, the fury clear in her words. She reached down to where a knife normally rested at her belt, nails biting into her palm when she found it empty. “You dare speak like that about my queen?”  
  
“Ontori, shof op,” Clarke ordered without even looking behind her, entirely aware the warrior was not trying to stand up for her but rather the queen she'd lost. She didn't break eye contact with the Rock Line King as he glared, eyes flashing at her. “You have used your braka on the Woods Clan and Ice Nation, even on the Commander, but it will not work on us.”  
  
Clarke blinked, thrown by the unfamiliar word. Her mind spun, trying to remember if she'd ever heard the term used before, and then looked curiously up at Lexa as the Commander let out a small, humorless laugh. One corner of her lips turned up just slightly, obviously amused, before she turned to look at the blonde.  
  
“It seems King Asher believes you have used magic on us, Queen Clarke.” The blonde could see something dancing in green eyes, deep beneath the Commander's mask. “Is that true? Have you put a spell on me?”  
  
It took every bit of her control not to let her lips twitch up into a matching smirk or let her eyes roll. Instead she looked back at Asher, the muscular man still glaring at her, and asked, “If I could use magic, why would I bother with trying to convince you? Why not put a spell on all of you right now and force you to accept me?” The king recoiled, as though he believed she might actually do so, and across from him Daniel let out a loud chuckle.  
  
“She has a point, Droht Asher,” he said, eyes twinkling. “If she could use magic, why waste her breath?” The younger man's jaw clenched, clearly unhappy with the question and unable to come up with a suitable response.  
  
“Chancellor,” Tey spoke up, the up-till-then silent young man looking down the chairs at Abby. “Why should we allow your people into the coalition? You say you have tek, but we do not have any need for it. You want peace and to join us; why should we allow it? What do you have to offer to the coalition?”  
  
The question seemed to grab everyone's attention, pulling them all back to the original debate, and everyone in the room turned to Abby, waiting to hear what she would say. Some looked smug, as though they believed she would have no suitable answer, while others seemed curious, clearly still trying to decide where they stood in this argument. Clarke looked at her mother, holding her breath, knowing this might be the question and answer that could settle this entire thing, one way or another.  
  
Abby's eyes shifted over everyone looking at her, letting the question hang in the air for just a moment. She'd known it wouldn't be an easy fight, getting the leaders to agree to this, and so had already thought of an answer to this question, one that might just be enough to sway them.  
  
“Mount Weather,” she answered finally, and saw a few of the leaders' eyes widen. She looked up at the Commander, curious what her reaction would be, and made eye contact with her. The brunette nodded, the motion so minuscule she couldn't even be sure she saw it, and then she turned back to the rest of them, sitting up straighter. “Inside Mount Weather there is a fully equipped medical facility, one like I've never seen before. I'm a doctor, a healer, and I've already taken some of my other healers there, to assess what's there and what we can do with it. I want to turn the entire place into a hospital, a place where healers of all clans can get together to learn from one another, and a place where any of our people can go when they are sick or injured to get better. I want to turn this place where so many of your people were killed into a place they can now go to heal. That's what Skaikru can contribute to the coalition.”  
  
For a long moment silence settled in the room, no one knowing what to say to that, until finally Daniel gave a single, quiet clap.  
  
“Now that is a good idea,” he agreed, nodding, and Hektar looked at him as though he were crazy. “You want to give the Mountain to the Skaikru?” he asked, shocked. “So they can disappear inside as the Maunon did and begin picking our people off again?”  
  
“The door to Maun-de has already been removed,” Lexa informed them, something that made even Clarke's eyes widen in surprise. Apparently that was one part of her summer she hadn't gotten around to telling the queen about yet. Green eyes glanced at the Chancellor and then looked over the rest of the leaders. “Chancellor Abby has taken her healers as well as some of the Trikru healers into the mountain already, with my permission. Nia removed most of the guns from inside when she attempted her rebellion; now what is left are things the coalition can use to become stronger, and the Chancellor assures me this hospital will do just that. We will turn Mount Weather into a place of healing, and Chancellor Abby will run it.”  
  
Asher's fists tightened, his eyes clenching shut in his anger. “Maun-de,” he growled, voice low. Eyes snapping open, he looked around the room, meeting the stare of everyone there as they turned to him. “The invaders steal Trikru land and murder their people, take over the Ice Nation, and now we just give them Maun-de?” He jumped up, fists shaking at his sides. “No,” he declared. “If we stand back and do nothing, they will destroy us, and we are letting it happen.” He pointed at Abby, and Clarke saw Kane take an unconscious step towards her out of the corner of her vision. “She claims she wants to turn the mountain into a place of healing? She just wants to control it for her own people, use the tek inside against us! And her.” His finger swung over to Clarke, its shaking visibly growing, the fury in his expression nearly doubling. “She dares to sit with us and call herself queen? She doesn't even bare the mark of the Ice Nation!”  
  
Slowly Clarke stood up, not breaking eye contact with the furious man. She took a few steps, moving to the center of the carpet, and still didn't look away. “I bare the mark of the Ice Nation,” she informed him, knowing exactly what he meant. In one fluid motion she turned, rolling her shoulders and finally letting her jacket fall away, the small noise it made as it landed on the carpet the only sound in the room. With her back to the rest of the leaders she looked straight ahead, meeting hard green eyes and a jaw that just barely clenched, the Commander knowing exactly what she must be showing the rest of the room. “Nia herself ordered my marks; with these scars I am Azgeda, Kwin Klark kom Azgeda. Ai laik Ubroukai.”  
  
The shirt she wore had been chosen specifically for this moment. Most of the back had been cut away, leaving only thin strips of cloth holding it together beneath her shoulder blades. With the material missing, the endless criss-cross of scars stood out against her skin, some so thin they were barely visible while others could easily be seen at the far side of the room, the soft pink and white of scar tissue striking against the pale skin around it. Beside her Abby's hands curled into fists and her nostrils flared, unable to take seeing what had been done to her daughter but not able to look away either. The rest of the clan leaders just stared at it, someone behind her taking in a sharp breath, and Clarke just continued to stare into Lexa's eyes. She saw the emotions flashing in green and wanted to reach out, to remind her love that they were just scars and that she was here, alive and well, but forced herself to just stand there. Behind her she heard someone let out an angry noise, not quite a yell but more than just a breath of air, and turned only when she heard footsteps stomping towards her.  
  
Asher didn't stop as the other clan leaders watched him, just shook Luna off when the woman jumped up out of her chair and grabbed his arm. He got right up next to the invader who dared to call herself queen, only a few inches taller than her but still somehow managing to feel as though he towered over her. She didn't crumble beneath him, didn't even cower, just stood tall even after she turned around, the two standing nearly chest to chest.  
  
“You do not belong here,” he growled, voice low and threatening. “You are not one of us. Nia should have killed you when she had the chance but she was too weak. You would not be so lucky against a true leader.”  
  
“Hey,” Abby snapped, standing up, but Clarke held out her hand to her mother, not breaking eye contact with the man trying so hard to intimidate her. Even with her heart hammering in her chest, she just stepped closer to the man, body nearly brushing against his. “I don't really believe in luck,” she told him, voice just as low. “I know better than to try to count on it or magic.”  
  
Eyes narrowing, he leaned down just a little further, the girl still not so much as moving. “You think you are a warrior?” he scoffed, and she lifted her eyebrows. “I think I'm a leader,” she replied. “And I rely on more than just my skill with a sword to defeat my enemies. That's how I beat Nia and became queen, how I'll beat anyone who tries to stand in my way.”  
  
“Maybe a real warrior should show you what it means to be strong enough to lead,” he bit out between clenched teeth, bright blue eyes flashing down at her. She was about to retort when a voice behind her beat her to it.  
  
“Droht Asher, enough,” she heard Lexa declare, tone almost sounding bored. “Stop with the hidden threats: say what you wish to say.” Clarke's eyes widened, almost flickering back to look at the Commander but stopping just in time. Neither the tone nor words were what she had been expecting, and something about them caused the nerves already in her gut to increase their frenzied buzzing. Lexa was up to something, she just didn't know what yet.  
  
The Rock Line King clearly didn't know the Commander as well as she did, couldn't hear whatever it was that laced her tone that made the hairs on Clarke's arms stand at end. His eyes blazed, lips twitching up and muscular arms flexing as he declared loudly for the whole room to hear, “Ai throudon yu in soulou gonplei.”  
  
“Ai teik yu throudon in,” a voice answered, and Clarke watched as Asher's eyes widened and his face paled beneath his graying beard. His eyes flickered up, finally looking away from the blonde, and caught the hard green stare directed at him. Almost before he even knew he was doing so, his head was shaking. “Heda, no-” he began, but the Commander cut him off.  
  
“You question my decisions, Asher,” she interrupted, her voice dangerously low, and now he heard the threat. A quiet fury burned in her eyes, directed solely on him, and he nearly shrunk away from it, only just managing to keep himself still. “It is my decision to make Skaikru the thirteenth clan, and my choice to accept Clarke as the Queen of the Ice Nation. By refusing my decisions and threatening her you threaten me. So yes, I accept your challenge. Unless you have changed your mind?” He stared at her for a second, knowing he would forever be labeled a coward if he did that, and then shook his head, forcing himself to stand up tall. As he stepped away from the blonde while still watching her, the Commander nodded once. “Very well; the challenge is made.”  
  
Stepping up beside her, Lexa could see Titus's pursed lips, the way his eyes had narrowed slightly, clearly unhappy with this turn of events. Nevertheless he did his job, nodding towards the Rock Line King. “The challenge of single combat has been issued and will be fought an hour before sundown. Who will fight for you?”  
  
“I fight for myself and for all of us,” Asher replied, hands once again curled into fists at his side. Titus nodded again and then turned to Lexa. “Who will fight for you?”  
  
Lexa's head tilted up, chin sticking out as she coolly stared at the clan leaders below her. “Ai laik Heda,” she declared, voice strong, a hint of annoyance and pride mixed together coloring her tone. “Non na throu daun gon ai.” Titus's jaw clenched harder, wanting to say something but didn't, only nodding as she continued to stare down at those below her, almost as though she were daring anyone to say anything else.  
  
With that, the challenge was issued and accepted, an uneasy buzz of energy suddenly filling the air. In only a few hours the Commander and the Rock Line King would face each other in single combat, and only one would survive.  
  
The first council meeting was not ending the way Clarke had hoped, and she felt almost light-headed as the hammering of her heart beat haphazardly in her chest. She stared up at Lexa sitting proudly in her throne, and felt numbing fear begin to creep up her spine.  
  
In a few hours Lexa would be in a fight to the death, and there was nothing she could do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I will get the next one up as soon as I can, but I also will be writing the next chapter of "Continuum" so it might be a little more than a week before it's up (which I hate to do with this little cliffhanger, but my other story needs a little love too). Until then, I thank you all for your patience, and if you have any questions you want answered, just send me a message and I'll do my best to answer! Thanks all!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Monin"- "Welcome/Morning"  
> "Shenai en Jeis kom Trishana" - "Sheni and Jace of the Glowing Forest Clan"  
> "Esta kom Ouskejon" - "Esta of the Blue Cliff Clan"  
> "Tei kom Louwoda" - "Tey of the Shallow Valley Clan"  
> "Valia kom Podakru" - "Valia of the Lake People"  
> "Heya Shein" - "Hi Shayne"  
> "Ai seintaim" - "Me too"  
> "Nontukri" - "Grandfather" (Delphi Clan Title - my creation)  
> "Ai laik ogud" - "I am ready"  
> "Gyon op gon Heda" - "Rise for your Commander"  
> "Chit?" - "What?"  
> "Moba Heda, thotin?" - "I'm sorry Heda, thirteen?"  
> "Nowe!" - "Never!"  
> "Hegona" - "General" (Woods Clan Title - my creation)  
> "Wocha" - "Chief" (Plains Riders Title)  
> "Droht" - "King/Warlord" (Rock Line Clan Title - my creation)  
> "Ontori, shof op" - "Ontari, be quiet"  
> "Braka" - "Magic/A magic spell" (My creation)  
> "Maunon" - "Mountain Men"  
> "Maun-de" - "Mount Weather"  
> "Ai throudon yu in soulou gonplei" - "I challenge you to single combat"  
> "Ai teik yu throudon in" - "I accept your challenge"  
> "Ai laik Heda. Non na throu daun gon ai." - "I am the Commander. No one fights for me."


	9. Chapter 8

As the other clan leaders filtered out of the room, Clarke's feet remained rooted in place, barely able to contain the anger burning in her chest. Most of the leaders ignored her, barely even tossed a look back at the one the challenge had been meant for, while others couldn't help but glance over before they left. She saw Daniel shaking his head, worry sprouting along his wrinkled face, but Danias continued to grin, even going so far as to wink when he looked over and caught her eyes. Luna gave her a knowing nod, her own expression controlled other than the slight crease of her brow, and Indra only nodded at her as she passed, never taking her glare off of the Rock Line King as he stalked out of the room. Her mother came up to her, a hand resting reassuringly on the blonde's shoulder for a second, but when Clarke made no indication of moving, she let out a small sigh, squeezing the shoulder and then exiting with Kane and Bellamy. Soon the only ones left in the room were the Commander, Titus, herself and her two guards.  
  
“Roan, Ontari, you can go,” she told them, barely even glancing their way. Behind her she heard Ontari let out a scoff, but then Roan had her by the elbow, guiding her out of the room. They left, but before the door could shut behind them, Taigon slipped inside the council room, eyes already scanning the three faces left.  
  
“What happened?” he asked, taking in the stubborn set of his sister's jaw and the anger flashing in both Clarke and Titus's eyes. He'd known something was likely to go wrong during the first council meeting, especially ever since Raven had let his sister's plan slip to him, and had been standing out in the hall almost since it started, just waiting. With the way the clan leaders had left, he knew Lexa's plan of the thirteenth clan hadn't gone over well at all.  
  
“Heda, please, I urge you to reconsider,” Titus begged, completely ignoring the healer's question. He stepped towards the Commander's throne, his hands coming together in front of him. “Think of what you are doing, what might happen.”  
  
“I have thought about it, and will not step down,” his Commander replied, chin tilting up with her pride. He shook his head, taking another step closer, as he tried to make her reconsider. “Heda, please, think about what could happen to the coalition. If he-”  
  
“You think Asher can beat me?” Lexa asked, voice clipped as she turned a cold stare on her adviser. Titus quickly tried to backpedal, telling her, “Of course not Heda, but if you are injured in the battle others might take the opportunity to move against you. Without you at your strongest, the next few weeks will crumble apart, and with them so will the coalition.”  
  
“If I cannot defend my coalition then I do not deserve to be Heda,” she declared, fingers clenching against the armrests of her throne, the only obvious indication of her annoyance. “I will fight to keep it together until my final breath.”  
  
“You didn't _need_ to fight,” Clarke nearly spat, the words coming out from between clenched teeth. Her eyes flashed, something akin to a fierce storm shining in them, the ferocity of which was entirely leveled at Lexa. “I was taking care of him, Lexa, was facing him on my own! You didn't need to goad him into a challenge!”  
  
“The challenge was meant for you.” Titus's words whipped through the air, a glare suddenly leveled at the blonde almost as powerful as her own. “The Rock Line King meant to challenge you! It should be you he fights.”  
  
“Enough Titus,” Lexa growled, eyes narrowing at her adviser. “By refusing to accept Skaikru as the thirteenth clan, it was me everyone spoke against. I didn't ask for the leaders' opinions or if they agreed with my idea: I told them Skaikru would join the coalition, and the leaders refused, including yourself.” When the adviser's mouth opened, as though to defend himself, she cut him off. “Do not think I did not notice your reaction as well. I am the Commander: this is _my_ coalition and you are _my_ people. To refuse my words is to challenge me. Be grateful I waited until Asher was fool enough to issue the challenge himself rather than challenge everyone who dared to speak against me. Now leave us.” With his jaw clenched so tightly they all knew it must hurt, Titus left the council room, his hands still grasped furiously in front of him.  
  
Taigon's eyes flickered between each of the three as they spoke, trying to put it all together. “Asher challenged you?” he asked Clarke, and the blonde continued to stare angrily at his sister as she gestured to her.  
  
“Because your sister egged him into it,” she practically growled. “He didn't think I should be queen, so Lexa pushed him into a challenge that she accepted.” He glanced up at his sister, noticing that she'd relaxed slightly with Titus gone, sinking a little further into her throne.  
  
“This was the only way, Clarke,” she informed the blonde, expression softening in a way that was barely noticeable. “I needed to teach Asher and the rest of the clan leaders a lesson.” Even as she tried to defend herself, the Ice Queen started shaking her head.  
  
“No Lexa, this isn't the only way!” she declared, voice a little louder than usual. “I had it under control! I told you, I _told you_ , I don't want to kill anyone! I told you to let me handle this in my own way! I could have talked him out of the challenge before he said it, could have talked them all around, but you had to go and push him into it and get involved!”  
  
“You could not have talked him out of the challenge, Clarke,” Lexa told her, her voice almost soft where the queen's was harsh. Beneath it though was a certainty, a hardness the other two occupants of the room couldn't help but hear. “I know you wish to be accepted as queen and to have the Skaikru accepted without bloodshed, but that will not happen. Asher came into the meeting planning to challenge you, even before he knew anything of the Sky People becoming the thirteenth clan. He and others will not be convinced through words: they must be convinced through strength.”  
  
“Then you should have let me accept the challenge!” Clarke exclaimed, the Commander's words doing nothing to temper her fury. “It was me he challenged, you should have let me accept it. You can't fight my battles for me!”  
  
“I will fight this one,” Lexa replied, hands once again tightening against her armrests as her jaw clenched lightly. “I meant what I said to Titus, but that is not the only reason I pushed Asher into declaring the challenge and then agreed before you could.” She met flashing blue eyes, but this time didn't back down, didn't allow them to soften the steel of her own expression. “You are a good warrior, Clarke, a great one considering you have only been learning for a few months, but in a fight against the Rock Line King you would lose. You do not know how to fight one of their warriors. They use techniques, weapons, that you have never encountered before. I will not sit back and allow Asher to trap you into a battle he knows you would have no chance in. I refuse to sit back and watch you die.”  
  
“So I'm just supposed to sit back and watch a fight where you could die?” the queen countered, taking a step towards the throne. As though the step propelled her up, Lexa rose from her seat, not breaking eye contact with the blonde as she too stepped forward. “I have a far better chance of survival in this than you do, Clarke,” she assured her. Rather than appease the queen, it only made her shake her head, hands clenched into fists at her side that nearly shook. She closed the distance between them, now nearly as close to Lexa as she'd been to Asher when he made the declaration that had started all of this.  
  
“There shouldn't _be_ a question of survival, Lexa!” Clarke nearly shouted, almost throwing her hands up. “If you'd just let me keep trying, everything might have been fine and we could have avoided this! But no, blood has to have blood, doesn't it?” The Commander nodded, hands folding calmly behind her back.  
  
“Yes,” she simply replied. “It does. That is the way.” Clarke let out a small growl, the noise so low it almost couldn't be heard, and took another small step forward, her chest barely brushing up against Lexa's. “What happens when we've made the entire world bleed, Lexa?” she wanted to know. “What happens then?” Rather than wait for an answer the Commander didn't have, the queen turned on her heel, marching angrily out of the room.  
  
Lexa and Taigon watched her go, silence suddenly spreading around them.  
  
“She is right you know,” the healer finally said, turning to meet his sister's eyes. A green gaze lighter than his own stared back at him, frowning slightly. “We will never stop bleeding if we are always demanding blood.”  
  
“I couldn't let Asher challenge her, Taigon,” she argued, scowling at her brother as she moved closer to him. “She wouldn't have survived. Even if she had managed to convince him to accept her without a fight, someone else would have just done it. There were few in that room ready to accept her as queen, even fewer ready to agree to welcome Skaikru as the thirteenth clan, and I could not allow them to get away with that. They questioned me and my decisions; you know how dangerous it will get if people begin to think they can get away with that. There are hundreds of people in this city right now: in order to keep them all safe I must keep the clan leaders and the coalition under my control.”  
  
“I know,” he agreed, nodding once. “I do. But you used more than just brute strength to create your coalition; why is brute strength the way you hold it together?” Her scowl deepened, lips pursing tightly as she tried not to glare at him, hurt flashing in her eyes for no more than a quick second. “You know it takes far more than brute strength to hold the coalition together.”  
  
“I do,” he assured her, immediately regretting his words, and then let out a long sigh, shaking his head. Looking back at her, he managed to give her a partial smile, shrugging. “I do know that, sister. You give everything to the coalition, and only you could ever hold it together. I just wish you didn't have to put your life in danger so often in order to keep it together.” She returned his smile with a tiny quirk of her lips, nudging his shoulder gently with her own, his earlier words already forgotten.  
  
“You know how I always wanted to be the greatest warrior ever,” she teased, trying to wipe away the worry she could see in his eyes. “At least if today is the day my fight ends, it will end doing what I love for who I love.”  
  
“Your fight is far from over, sister,” Taigon declared, a stubborn look that resembled the one she knew often resided in her own features tugging at his brow. “Do not believe anything else.”  
  
“Sha, Teigon,” she agreed, bumping his shoulder again. “I have no plan to allow the Rock Line King to take me from you or Clarke. Not today.”  
  
“Good,” her brother replied, leaning against her like he used to when they were younger. She remained rooted in place, not budging as his weight pressed lightly against her side, and he found himself almost smiling. Just let King Asher try to take on his sister: he would quickly realize just how big a mistake he had made.

***

Clarke fumed as she made her way through the streets of Polis, hands still clenched into fists. For the first time since stepping foot into the city she walked without a guard, but nobody tried to bother her. Whether those she passed didn't know who she was or whether it was her obvious fury that kept others away, she couldn't say, and didn't care enough to wonder. Her anger boiled hot in her gut, bubbling and overflowing, while beneath it her fear felt like a thick block of ice too solid to ever melt. Part of her knew her anger stemmed from that fear, knew that she shouldn't be as upset with the Commander as she was, but the rest of her latched onto the burning anger in order to submerge everything else. She knew Lexa, knew what a great warrior she was, but couldn't get Asher's overly muscular arms and chest out of her mind and the image only made the fear beneath the fury grow.  
  
Walking into her camp, she tried to control her expression as she found a number of people milling around in a loose circle probably waiting for her, but knew she wasn't entirely successful. Standing among the circle she found Daniel and Danias, the warrior standing easily and chatting away carelessly with Octavia and Lincoln while the leader's fingers rubbed at his chin, lost in thought. Echo and Jojesh stood among the group as well, and it was Echo who first noticed her approaching. Elbowing her cousin, she nodded towards the approaching blonde.  
  
“Ubroukai,” Jojesh said after turning and finding her moving towards them. He nodded towards the two members of the Delphi Clan. “Grandfather and Danias were telling us what happened.”  
  
“The Commander's fighting the Rock Line King?” Octavia questioned, as though the blonde might have a different answer. Clenching her jaw as she stepped into the circle, Clarke just nodded. The other girl's brow furrowed, lightly rocking her weight from one foot to the other. “That's not a good way to start things.”  
  
“The Rock King is a fool,” Danias declared lightly, lips still pulled up into an easy smile. “He should have backed down the moment Heda accepted his challenge.”  
  
“A fool never would have become king,” Daniel scolded, looking up at his warrior who did nothing but give a slight roll of his eyes. “Asher is a formidable opponent for anyone. Lexa will need to be careful in this fight.” He looked to the side, noticing Clarke clenching her jaw, and gave her a light pat on the arm. “Luckily for us, our Commander is just as formidable, and far less of a fool. Lexa knows what she is doing; she will be fine.”  
  
“I'm not surprised someone gave the challenge,” Lincoln muttered, staring ahead of him. Everyone turned to him and he broke out of the stare, looking at each of them in turn. “Making Skaikru the thirteenth clan is risky, and there were always going to be clans against the idea.”  
  
“Yes,” Daniel agreed with a nod. “Even if Lexa wins today, it will still take convincing for some to agree with it.”  
  
“She will win,” Clarke corrected him, the anger and fear she still felt rolling around her gut just barely tainting the words. She felt her fingernails bite into her palms as her fists clenched tighter. “She'll win; she has to.” Many of them nodded, some to make her feel better and others because they agreed, and the leader of the Delfikru's eyes widened.  
  
“Of course,” he agreed, clearly angry at himself. “You're right; she will win. I have known Lexa for a long time, and I know what she is capable of. She will beat the Boudalan king.”  
  
“Maybe,” they heard someone say outside of their circle, and Clarke felt her anger form into a ball and move into her throat, nearly burning her from the inside out. She turned, finding Ontari standing lazily behind her, arms crossed over her chest. Roan stood not far away, watching the interaction take place. “Or maybe today is finally the day that Lexa dies,” she continued, amusement poorly hidden in her voice. Clarke's eyes flashed, her fury clear in them, but the younger warrior didn't stop. “Maybe we will get lucky and the Rock Line King will gut her.”  
  
Clarke's teeth ground against each other so hard Jojesh and Daniel both gave her a look, the sound audible to them. Her palm itched, the desperate desire to be holding something sharp and deadly taking over her, and in the back of her mind she was glad she didn't have her knife or sword on her. Never before had she wanted to hurt Ontari, hoping instead to be able to persuade her to her side, but at this moment she knew the only thing keeping her from stabbing the other girl was her lack of weapon. Instead she stepped forward, fists shaking, not stopping until she was so close to Ontari she could feel the other girl's breath on her face. She saw brown eyes widen and then narrow, refusing to back down from the infuriated queen.  
  
“Go away,” the blonde ordered between grit teeth, her tone more menacing than any of those standing behind her could ever remember hearing. For a second Ontari still didn't budge other than allowing her stance to shift, arms uncrossing in front of her. Clarke could practically read the thoughts racing in her head, could nearly see the other girl's desire to lash out, and a small part of her wished she would so that she could then hit back. It wasn't what she was used to, this intense burning inside her, and all she wanted was to let it out.  
  
Before Ontari could make up her mind however, they both heard movement behind them. “You heard her,” Clarke heard Octavia call, and then heard the soft whisper of her knife sliding out of its strap on her belt. “Get out of here, Ontari. And when the Commander wins, try not to be too disappointed.” Ontari flashed a glare at the other girl over Clarke's shoulder, and then turned, just managing to keep herself from stomping away.  
  
“We should go too, Grandfather,” Danias said after the angry warrior left, glancing down at his leader. “We should tell our people what's happening.” Daniel looked worriedly at Clarke, the blonde forcing herself to turn back towards the group, and then gave a hesitant nod. He reached out though, lightly grabbing the blonde's elbow, and gave it a little squeeze. “Be strong, Clarke,” he told her, meeting her eyes. “Be strong for yourself, but also be strong for Lexa: she can win this fight, but she needs to know you are there for her.” The queen felt herself frown, watching him curiously for a second, and then gave him a hesitant nod. He squeezed her elbow one more time and then turned, letting Danias lead him back into the busy streets.  
  
“What do you need, Clarke?” Octavia asked as they walked away, stepping towards her and reaching out but not quite touching her. Her eyes scanned the queen's face, trying to pick up on everything there. “What can we do?”  
  
“Distract me,” she replied, the emotions still swirling wildly inside her. “I need a distraction to help get my mind off of this stupid fight before I do something equally as stupid.” Octavia looked over to Lincoln, their gazes meeting for a second, before she turned back to her.  
  
“Okay,” she said, “We can do that.”  
  
“We should find Thom and Reese, maybe Sef,” he decided, nodding at his queen. “They can make it hard to focus on anything else at times.” Clarke returned his nod, letting her eyes close for just a second and trying to get her thoughts and emotions to finally settle. They could provide as good a distraction as anything else, she figured, and then she would check in with the rest of her people and see how they were all doing. She would keep herself busy for the rest of the day and try desperately not to let herself think about what would be happening later that evening. She would fail, she knew, but would try nevertheless. Daniel had been right, she needed to stay strong, and part of that strength would come from not driving herself crazy with worry. 

***

The cacophony of the crowd around her did nothing to break Lexa's concentration. Hundreds of people circled around the arena, muffled voices blending together to create a quiet roar, but the sound filtered easily through her system, too focused to really notice it. Five of the clan leaders had gathered so far with more seeming to show up every minute, finding their seats along the platform overlooking the packed dirt that had seen hundreds of battles before. None of them talked as they sat in the straight line of chairs, each glancing over the crowd before looking back and forth between herself and the man who had challenged her, each clearly wondering how this would go. Across from her, standing just inside the ring of spectators, she found Asher, the king standing with his queen and daughter, his sister just behind them. The family stood together, apart from everything around them, and Lexa felt something like a pang of jealousy spike as she watched Asher pull his wife to him, dropping a simple kiss to her mouth. Her eyes flickered back up to the platform, finding the chair with the Ice Nation's symbol on it still empty.  
  
“Lexa,” she heard quietly next to her, and turned her attention to her brother, the only one standing with her. She could read the fear in his eyes, the worry in the set of his brow that had increased as the day continued, and nodded to him. He scanned her face, green eyes so like her own flickering rapidly, and then just stuck out his arm. With a little quirk of her lips she took it, gripping tightly to his elbow and feeling the vice-like grip he returned. Their focus didn't break from the other's face, reading more than either knew how to articulate in their expressions, before Taigon finally nodded, letting go. With a final look he moved over towards the platform, standing just in front of the Delfikru chair where a few of the Skaikru stood, and as he did her eyes followed, looking up at the old man already seated and waiting. Daniel met her gaze, his wrinkled brow pulled down in consternation, and gave her a simple nod. She returned it before glancing over the line of chairs once again. Asher's queen had taken her place in his chair with their daughter standing just behind her, representing her husband among the leaders as he fought, and now the only chair still empty was the one for the Ice Queen.  
  
As though her thoughts called to the blonde, Lexa heard a murmuring break out among the crowd beside her, and turned to see an opening forming, Clarke making her way through as everyone else stepped out of her way. She didn't so much as look at those around her, her focus held solely on the Commander. At the sight of her, Lexa felt something in her chest loosen, some tightness she hadn't been entirely aware of let up, and didn't fight it as one corner of her mouth turned up and her expression softened. She could read the tension in her shoulders and the anxiety she fought to hide, but could only think of how relieved she was to see her.  
  
Once Clarke had closed the space between them until they could nearly reach out and touch each other, Lexa gave her a small nod.  
  
“I'm glad you came,” she nearly murmured, her tone softer than the crowd around her would suggest it should be. “Me too,” Clarke replied, voice just as quiet, and then took one more step, closing the distance between them. As though she didn't care about the hundreds of people watching, the queen reached forward, fingers wrapping tightly in the soft hairs at the base of Lexa's neck and pulled her in for a long, hard kiss. The brunette didn't fight against it, instead allowed her eyes to close as she countered the movement, her hand resting gently along the queen's jaw and the hold seemed only to convince Clarke to deepen it further. Her forehead pressed roughly against Lexa's the moment their mouths broke apart, and slowly the Commander opened her eyes, finding determination shining back at her in hard blue eyes.  
  
“If someone has to die today, it better be him,” the queen told her, the demand clear in her voice. Her eyes held Lexa's, the brunette's breath nearly catching in her chest at their intensity. “Understand?”  
  
“Sha, Klark,” she replied, nodding against the blonde's forehead, and for another second the other girl continued to hold her close. Apparently seeing whatever she needed to, finally the queen returned the nod and removed her grip from the back of the Commander's head, letting her hand briefly find Lexa's to give it a tiny squeeze. The next moment she let go and turned, walking towards the platform and the rest of the clan leaders, her spine perfectly straight. Lexa knew the leaders all must be watching her as she approached them, surprised by her audacity to so publicly show their relationship, but she couldn't drag her own focus away from the queen to check. Part of her felt as though Clarke had breathed life back into her lungs, had repaired whatever needed repairing inside her in order for her to fight, and now she was ready.  
  
As Clarke, the last of the clan leaders to settle in place, sat, Titus stepped in front of the line of chairs, raised high enough so that everyone in the dense crowd could see him.  
  
“Hashta soulou gonplei, bilaik won hedon noumou,” he declared, voice ringing out above the crowd, everyone surrounding the arena suddenly going silent. Lexa felt herself stand straighter, watching her head adviser as he looked around the crowd and then at the two challengers. “Du souda wan op deyon.” Those closest to the arena began to shuffle, whispers once again turning into roars as countless pairs of eyes flickered from their Heda to her opponent, and she held strong as she felt them on her, refusing to show any semblance of weakness. Titus's eyes fell on her, the lines along his forehead telling her how much he hated what he was about to say, but she met them, refusing to show him anything other than strength either. His hands raised up slowly, palms up as though in worship, and took a final moment to look between the two fighters, and then said the last few words that needed to be said. “ Yo na jomp in.”  
  
Ryder stepped up beside her, her sword laying in its sheathe in his hands, and she turned, grabbing the hilt and pulling. The sound of the metal sliding against the sheathe rung out like a music note as she pulled it free, the sound and the weight of the weapon in her hand waking up something deep within her. Excitement rushed through her body like an electric shock, every sense sharpening in a millisecond, and it took everything within her to keep herself from grinning. She may be the Commander, but this is what she loved best, this rush of energy she got every time she held her weapon in her hand. With just her sword with her, everything that so often rushed around inside her clicked into place, her focus falling right along beside everything else. She felt her fingers tighten briefly against the hilt before almost immediately loosening once again, and turned to face her opponent.  
  
Clarke could practically see the shift in Lexa the moment she had her sword in hand, and even as her heart beat wildly in her chest, her breath got caught somewhere in her throat. With her warpaint spread around her eyes and dripping down her cheeks and the soft leather vest worn over a long-sleeved shirt, she looked like something out of a legend. The way she held her sword so easily, almost even carelessly as though it were merely an extension of herself she could never be parted from, Clarke saw the great warrior she knew the other girl had always wanted to be. She saw power and grace and Lexa hadn't even started moving yet; suddenly the fear she'd felt building in her chest all day began to dwindle, not believing anyone could match up against the strength she saw in her love.  
  
The next second her fear spiked right back up, reaching a whole new level of intensity, as she heard a solid _thud_ come from the other side of the arena. Turning to look towards the noise, her mouth dropped open, eyes widening with a mixture of shock and horror.  
  
“What the hell is _that_?” she heard Raven exclaim from where she stood in front of the platform, clearly looking at the same thing the queen had just seen.  
  
“A boudagon,” Taigon answered, his voice just loud enough for Clarke to hear him. “It is the weapon most used by the Rock Line Clan, and always used by King Asher.”  
  
A rock the size of Clarke's head sat on the ground by the king's feet, a chain yards long attached to it. Asher held the other end of the chain tightly against his palm, his other hand wrapped around a few of its links further down its length. Even as the queen watched, his grip on the chain tightened, and then he let out a harsh battle cry, the muscles in his arms bulging as he pulled the chain back, and the large rock suddenly flew into the air, twirling over his head as he ran towards Lexa.

***

Twelve Years Earlier

_Her breath frosted in the air in front of her, and Lexa couldn't help but let out a big grin. Unlike her brother, winter had always been her favorite season, the time of the year she felt most alive. Taigon complained, despising the cold, but she loved it. She loved the snow and ice, the muted colors of the quiet woods around her as she walked through the trees, just as much as she loved the warm furs and fires she could then heat herself with. Everything was just quiet, more peaceful when snow blanketed the ground, and she couldn't help but marvel in it._  
  
_At the moment however, she had more important things she was supposed to be paying attention to than the snow and cold around her, and a sharp tug at her braid reminded her of just that._  
  
_“Pay attention,” Anya growled, giving her braid another tug for good measure before letting go and stepping back to give her Second an exasperated look. Lexa nearly blushed, ducking her head._ “Moba, Onya,” _she said quickly, standing up a little straighter to try to show her teacher she had her attention. The older girl raised an eyebrow at her, clearly still not entirely convinced she was focused, but then gave a little shrug._  
  
_“Today we're going to work on something new,” she informed her student, watching as green eyes lit up. She held back the smile that threatened to pull at her lips, and instead just continued to give the young girl her usual stare. “Luna sent a messenger, and asked for us to send some warriors to help them against the Rock Line Clan. It would seem they have been moving closer to the Boat People's territory, and Luna is afraid they don't have the warriors to face them. Since we are in an alliance with Luna and her people, I've agreed to lead some of our warriors to help. We will be leaving before spring sets in, which means you must learn how to fight against the Rock Line's greatest weapon.” She reached down to the bag laying in the snow by her feet, and began pulling out a long chain. Lexa watched as the chain emerged, her eyes going wide as suddenly a small boulder followed, one end of the chain somehow driven into it. The boulder was easily the size of her head, maybe bigger, and when Anya dropped the weapon to the ground, she didn't like the little_ thud _it made in the snow._  
  
_“What is it?” the young Second wanted to know, unable to tear her eyes from the weapon._ “Boudagon,” _her teacher answered, the toe of her boot nudging against the chain. “The Rock Line warriors use this weapon to crush the bones of their opponents.” As though to demonstrate, she reached down, grabbing the chain with both hands, and then began swinging it around until its momentum carried it above her head, careful to make sure the heavy boulder was high enough not to catch either of them. She shifted her sights to a tree a few feet away from them and then purposefully continued swinging the rock, finally letting go of the chain with one hand when she determined the swing of the weapon felt right. Lexa watched in stunned awe as the dense boulder smashed into a thick branch, easily cracking and then breaking through it. The branch fell helplessly to the ground, the snow catching it in its fall, and the rock fell right behind it. Anya pulled on the chain, tugging the rock back towards her, and Lexa fought to keep herself from gulping. She'd never seen a weapon with quite the same kind of power behind it before._  
  
_“You know how to use your knife and sword, but against an opponent with this weapon, you are powerless,” Anya informed her, and as much as Lexa wanted to deny it she knew she couldn't. Glancing up at her teacher, she thought she caught the corners of her mouth turn up momentarily, but if she did the motion was too quick to truly register. “This weapon is meant to keep an opponent at bay, meant to keep them from getting close enough to cause injury while delivering fatal blows. A bow is helpful when going up against the Rock Line Clan, but you will not always be far enough away to rely on it. You must know how to fight against this weapon, or your fight will be over before you can see the rock flying through the air.” This time Lexa knew she saw the tiny smile, and almost returned it as Anya added, “I have not wasted the paste few years on you just to have you die the first time someone swings a rock at you. You will learn how to fight against it, and we will start right now.”_  
  
_Again the older girl reached into the bag, pulling out another chain, but the rock hanging off the end of this one was no larger than Lexa's fist. Cloth wrapped around it as well, creating a soft barrier around the unforgiving stone, and the young Second studied it only for a moment before looking back up at her mentor. She caught a glint in dark eyes, and nearly gulped; she knew nothing good ever came out of that glint._  
  
_“The best way to survive in a fight against this weapon is to never get hit by it,” her teacher told her, that glint just as obvious in the amusement Lexa could hear in her tone. “So I will attack, and you will dodge.” Anya didn't even try to hide her grin this time, her mirth clear as she added teasingly, “You may want to remove your coat: you are going to get very warm.”_  
  
_Lexa wanted to sigh, aware that the rest of her afternoon was going to involve running away from a flying rock, but didn't have time to. With no more warning, Anya's grip on the second chain tightened, swinging it in the air far more easily than she'd swung the first, and Lexa took off, knowing without having to be told that her mentor wasn't about to hold back. Every now and then she found herself wondering how she had ended up with such a crazy mentor, conveniently forgetting Anya had chosen her for being just as crazy._  
  
_The rock came down with a hard smack in the snow beside her, and Lexa let every other thought other than avoiding the hard object flee from her mind as she worked to avoid its painful blow._

***

Asher charged towards her, his boudagon swinging in the air above his head, and Lexa felt her stance shift, crouching as she remained rooted in place. As she suspected, he stopped still many feet from her, and let the great rock at the end of the chain fly towards her by itself. She ducked and rolled, the boulder crashing into the ground where she'd stood not a moment ago, a small divot forming where it hit. She rolled right back to her feet, not losing her balance for more than a few seconds, and turned to keep her enemy in her sight. Already Asher was pulling the stone back, the chain snapping in the air as the entire weapon moved as though it weighed nothing. She knew the king had been using this weapon for most of his life, able to handle it just as easily as she handled her sword. Unless she could get the chain out of his hands, there would be little she could do other than avoid his attacks.  
  
The king swung the rock again, this time whipping it at his side and striking with it rather than swinging it above his head, and again Lexa dodged it, spinning away on the balls of her feet. Too much space still remained between them for her to attack back unless she wanted to take a chance at throwing her sword at him, something she didn't dare to do. The boulder came at her again, this time coming in from above, and she jumped forward, her head tucking into her chest as she rolled in the dirt, sword still held tightly in her hand. With the move she managed to close a little of the distance between them, and slashed out the moment she once again stood on her feet. The Rock Line King jumped back, using the chain as a whip to strike against the blade of her sword, and with it she had to jump to the side to avoid the rock crashing into her back.  
  
Lexa scanned her opponent, the racing of her heart all but muted with her intense focus on the situation. He flicked the chain again, the boulder jumping forward, but rather than dodge this time she used the width of her blade to smack it aside. The force of the rock against her sword made the blade vibrate, the sensation tickling her palm beneath the leather gloves she wore, but other than that she ignored it. Her mind remained clear, her entire body working to figure out the situation as it always did in battle, even as she continued evading her opponent's attacks. Soon dirt and dust covered her clothing, the black muted against the constantly shifting earth sticking to her, as she tucked and rolled and danced away.  
  
He struck again, the boulder flying towards her, and Lexa's eyes flashed as she saw an opportunity. The angle of his attack felt slightly off and she side-stepped it, putting herself no more than a few steps away from it as the rock sailed past her, and this time rather than let it be, she darted forward, her free hand clutching onto the links of the chain. She didn't let go even as Asher began to try to whip it around, only grit her jaw as she clenched tighter. Her hold on the chain kept the rock behind her from moving more than just a few inches at a time, and she used the opportunity against the king. Even as he continued to try to shake her loose she ran forward, quickly closing the distance between them, and began her own series of attacks. At the last moment Asher held up the chain taut between his fists, catching her blade before it could slice into his shoulder. She tried coming in at another angle, this time aiming for his hip, but again he moved the chain just in time to block the attack. This time however he moved faster than she anticipated, wrapping the chain around her blade and giving it a sharp yank even as his foot wrapped around one of her own. She went down and her sword flew from her hand, skidding to the ground many feet away.  
  
Before the king could use the advantage against her, she was rolling away, her body turning over and over along the ground and putting as much distance between herself and him as possible. The moment she stopped she pushed herself up to her knees, immediately having to dive to the side as the stone came hurtling down towards her. Picking herself back up, she had just enough time to locate her sword, nearly swearing as she found it lying in the dirt behind her enemy. She moved again as the king swung his weapon at her, and then she rooted herself to the ground, holding her stance and waited, the exact opposite of what she'd been taught to do in this kind of a battle. She breathed as evenly as possible, the constant movement and ducking to avoid the great boulder pulling deep, uneven breaths from her lungs, and settled into her stance, waiting. This next plan would either save her or kill her, there was no other possible option. Nevertheless, she had to try it.  
  
The rock came sailing through the air right at her, and Lexa just watched it, her nerves buzzing crazily beneath her skin. It arced up, the stone itself momentarily getting lost in the light from the setting sun, and then it was hurtling down once again. In the back of her consciousness she could hear the crowd gasping, a few people yelling, but nothing registered to her other than the sound of her own blood pumping in her ears. The rock fell, steadily getting closer and closer, and she felt the bottoms of her feet tingle.  
  
Finally, when the stone was no more than a few feet away, Lexa took a single large step forward, moving just out of the boulder's path as it came crashing down to the ground. The chain followed it and this is what she focused on, grabbing it with both hands, holding it so tightly she felt sure there would be an imprint of the links along both of her palms when this was all over, and then with no warning she turned sharply on her heel, yanking the chain with her. She turned and kept turning, making a complete circle, the chain going taut between her and Asher. It wrapped around her hips and she used her entire body, putting her weight behind it as she yanked again. The force of the tug was unexpected, and she watched with satisfaction as the other end of the chain slid right through the king's hands. Before he could reach out and grab at the now loose chain, she snapped it backwards, dragging it towards her and away from him.  
  
The chain pooled at her feet, still loosely wrapped around her hips, and again she could hear the crowd roaring in the back of her mind. Asher swore out loud and then stumbled back, eyes scanning for something to use to his advantage, relief flashing across his face as he spotted her sword, only a few steps away. As quickly as he could he ran to it, taking his focus off of her just long enough to bend down to grab it. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt of her blade, she felt herself grin, the whites of her teeth flashing at him. He just made a big mistake, and she would happily show him why.  
  
Scanning the part of the crowd nearest her, her eyes were almost immediately drawn to a man's waist, the warrior's sword strapped to his belt. Letting the rest of the chain fall to the ground, she darted over to him, grabbing the hilt of his blade and pulling it from its sheathe before he or anyone else truly knew what was happening. The moment the blade was in her hand, she turned back to her enemy, taking her stance and letting the sword tilt in front of her. She couldn't hope to use her enemy's weapon against him, but in a battle of blades, she didn't doubt she would win.  
  
Apparently the Rock Line King thought the same thing. She watched as his eyes darted to his weapon, left discarded in the dirt, and when he tried to make a beeline for it she was ready for the movement. Feet smacking against the packed earth, she cut him off, the boudagon now resting untouched behind her, and let her borrowed sword snake out. Her own sword flew out to stop it, just managing to catch the blade in time, the grating noise of steel scraping along steel ringing across the arena. The muscles in Asher's arms bulged, holding her weapon back, but she didn't give him time to plan a counter attack. Almost before the sound of the grating steel could die out she shifted, twisting and bringing her sword down towards his unprotected side. He caught the blade again but too late, her weapon sliding off of his own to slice thinly against his hip. She tried to use the injury to her advantage, but the nick did nothing to slow down her opponent. When she attacked again, this time trying to swipe her sword across the length of his chest, he was ready for it, moving in a way that locked their blades together. He pushed forward, trying to run at her even with their bodies practically locked together, and she felt her boots begin to slide along the even ground. His girth, so much greater than her own, forced her backwards, and then he crouched slightly and heaved up, using every bit of force he could muster to make her go flying. She did, her body launching a couple of feet in the air, bracing herself for when she came back down. Gravity did its job and she hit the ground hard, taking the entire impact on her shoulder as she skidded along the dirt, small rocks scraping easily through her shirt and tearing at the skin underneath.  
  
On the ground, she rolled to her back, ignoring the sharp stinging she felt throbbing along her shoulder. The entire crowd had gone silent the moment she was airborne, and now they all watched as the Rock King stalked forward, the sword in his hand still held out in front of him. The sword pointed down, its tip directed towards her, and she watched as he moved closer and closer to her. Her muscles all loosened, even her grip on the sword going slack. She saw Asher's lips hesitantly begin to turn up, clearly thinking she'd lost all her energy and he'd won, and again just waited.  
  
He took the final few steps, and with absolutely no warning at all, every muscle in her body tensed. She rolled to her side away from him and kicked out harshly with one foot, catching him behind his knee while her other stuck out in front of him, effectively tripping him. He wobbled, falling down to one knee before he managed to catch himself, and as he did she twisted, her free hand going to the ground and bracing her as her entire body swung around and she spun back to her feet. Before he knew what was happening she stood in front of him, her arm bending and elbow lashing out against the underside of his arm. The force of the blow caused his grip to loosen on her sword, the blade flying up no more than a few inches in the air, and like lightning her free hand shot out, catching it before he could. He stumbled back, pushing himself up once again, as she crouched, the two blades held parallel in front of her. With a glint in her eyes that made the Rock Line King's eyes widen, she sprang forward.  
  
To those watching, their Commander became a blur the moment she held both swords in her hands. She twisted and she turned, spinning and gliding along the earth, a whirlwind of blades. The king stumbled back, trying to dodge the attacks, but no one could evade everything she threw at him. Soon tears began to appear in his clothing, nothing too deep that could slow him down much, but they could see their Commander's handy work in the newly made tatters. She shifted and the king tried to counter attack, lunging suddenly towards her, but the fierce warrior was ready for it. She took a single step back to allow for a little more space between them and then her right arm shot out, her elbow catching him beneath his nose and the king's head snapped back, blood flooding down his chin in record time. The force of the blow caused him to stumbled back, and this time rather than let him get his balance the Commander's foot came up, bracing itself against his stomach and heaving him backwards. Asher crashed against the ground on his back, and before he could move two swords crossed along his neck, pinning him down and forcing him to freeze.  
  
After the commotion of the battle, the sudden stillness as she stood over the fallen king felt wrong to Lexa, foreign. Her chest heaved and only now could she feel the rivulets of sweat falling along her forehead and the side of her face. Her body buzzed, the adrenaline still coursing through her, but where before every movement and thought had seemed to happen in an instant, now time felt as though it were standing still. Standing over Asher with her swords crossed in an X over his throat, she stared down at him, close enough to see the thin lines of his kill marks etched in columns down the expanse of his neck. Her palms itched, the hilts of the swords suddenly hard against her palms, and the blades twitched, drawing ever closer to the king's vulnerable throat. Looking at him now, she could see the resigned set of his jaw, the still proud glimmer in his eyes. His head tilted up, his eyes not breaking away from hers, inviting her to get it over with.  
  
With countless people watching her, the entire crowd seeming to hold its breath, the Commander looked up, her own focus drawn immediately to only one other's. Clarke was watching her, the grip she held on her chair still overly tight, but Lexa could see the shimmering relief staring back at her in bright blue eyes. The queen caught her look, the relief still there even as Lexa watched her expression harden, and then she nodded, nothing more than the slightest tip of her head.  
  
Glancing back down at the king pinned beneath her, the Commander's sword lashed out and he stiffened, his eyes clenching shut in anticipation of the slash that would end his fight. He felt the blade against his neck, but his eyes popped open, shock and confusion swimming in his expression. The tip of her blade had run vertically along one column of his kill marks, and though he could feel droplets of blood beginning to run down his neck, the sting of the blade was not nearly as powerful as he'd been expecting.  
  
The same shock and confusion swept through the crowd as the Commander stepped back, the two swords leaving the sides of the king's neck with nothing more than a single light line left behind. People began whispering to each other, trying to understand what was going on, until the whispers turned into a shocked rumbling. When the Commander spoke, everyone instantly went silent once again.  
  
“ _The challenge is over!_ ” she declared, her voice easily making its way to even those at the back of the giant audience. “ _I am the Commander: no one beats me!_ ” At this a cheer went up, starting somewhere in the mess of people and then spreading outward, until it seemed as though hundreds of people were shouting their joy for their leader. Lexa allowed it, gave the people their cheer for a few moments, and then held up her fist, sword pointing to the sky. Again the crowd responded immediately, every noise ending as though the blade had cut it off. With the silence, Lexa looked down at Asher, the king carefully pushing himself up so that he was now sitting, still watching her in confusion. “ _I am making a choice, King Asher,_ ” she informed him, a snap in her words nearly as threatening as what he could do with the chain of his boudagon. “ _I am choosing to give you your life. Let this mark always remind you I could have killed you and chose not to._ ” She pointed towards it with the tip of her second sword, a thin trickle of blood still flowing down his neck and over his shoulder. Her eyes flashed up at the line of clan leaders over-looking the arena, finding an array of different emotions looking back at her, and allowed her brow to pull down into a warning glare. “ _This is the only warning I will give!_ ” she shouted, her voice lashing out at them all. “ _The next person to question my decisions dies! I am the Commander, and I say the Sky People will be the thirteenth clan!_ ”  
  
A new vein of shock ran through the crowd, countless pairs of eyes widening at this sudden revelation, and once again she heard people begin murmuring, turning to their neighbors to try to find out if they had known anything about this. She braced herself, ready for any kind of backlash her public announcement might cause, but before the restlessness could grow, she heard something else, a low chant that quickly grew over the murmuring.  
  
“He-da!”  
  
“He-da!”  
  
“He-da!”  
  
Her title began as a soft whisper on one or two people's lips, and who started it she would never know, but soon it was growing, first only a couple of people adding to it and then whole groups taking up the chant. Fists began pumping in the air, some people began pounding their fists against their thighs or any structure they were near, and the rhythm grew, the single word developing into almost a melody. Soon her title became as powerful as a clap of thunder, far more consistent, and the cry drowned out every other noise. She looked forward and found that even Asher had joined the chant as he rose to his feet, completely ignoring his minor wounds to take part in the celebration happening around her. Her eyes darted over to the platform, seeing first her brother standing in front of it, shouting her title out more powerfully than anyone else, pride for her overflowing in his giant grin. Behind him the clan leaders had joined in as well, some of them standing, others still sitting, as they all kept time with the easy chant. The only one not chanting was Clarke, but when she met the queen's gaze she found eyes brimming with love, her lips drawn up in a tight smile as though she were trying to hold in her absolute happiness. Even now she held tightly to the armrests of her chair, and somehow Lexa just knew it was merely to keep her from jumping up and running to the brunette in front of the chanting crowd.  
  
As the title she had never wanted echoed around her, strong and powerful and filled with the devotion of her people, Lexa stood up tall, her head tilting ever higher as she held herself proudly before the hundreds of people around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the longer than usual wait for this chapter, and to any of you also reading "Continuum," I really apologize for that wait. This chapter took so long because I was trying to work on that story, but got stuck on the new chapter. Now that this is out though, I'll try to dive back into it and see if I can't update that story soon too.
> 
> For anyone wondering more about the boudagon (I created the name, it definitely wasn't already made), it's basically like a medieval flail, except rather than a spiked ball on a short chain, it's a rock and long chain. Having that knowledge might make it easier to visualize the fight scene, though hopefully I wrote it well enough you don't need that background information. Feel free to let me know your thoughts though, on whether the scene came out well or not! Thanks everyone!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Hashta soulou gonplei, bilaik won hedon noumou: du souda wan op deyon." - "In single combat, there is but one rule: someone must die today."  
> "Yo na jomp in" - "You may begin"  
> "Moba, Onya" - "I'm sorry, Anya"  
> "Boudagon" - Rock Line weapon - Flail/Morning Star/Mace (Rock + Weapon) - A term I created


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. Just wanted to let you know the Grounder Anthem is in this one, so if anyone wants, I highly advise listening to it while reading that section. It definitely put me right in the moment, at least. Enjoy!

Somehow Lexa managed to pick her way out of the crowd surrounding her, hundreds of people still chanting her title, those closest being pushed towards her as those further away tried to get closer. She knew she never would have made it through as quickly if Shet and Ryder hadn't both stepped forward, leading the way and pushing through the dense crowd when necessary while her brother and Titus fell in behind her. Adrenaline still pumping through her from her fight and the crowd's reaction, she allowed those closest to her to guide her through, only just managing to remember to hand the second sword back to the warrior she'd stolen it from, the man handling it reverently the moment it was in his grip. Shet and Ryder pushed through the assembled people, each giving their warning glares when anyone tried to push past them, but even that wasn't enough to stop everyone from trying to get closer to her. Countless people reached out as she walked by, hands brushing against her arms, admiration shining on open faces, and the buzzing inside her veins seemed to blur them all together. When one person would try to hold on for too long, before she so much as tried to shake them off Titus was immediately behind her, an iron grip reaching out and attaching to the person's wrist. Taigon never tried to interfere, allowing the people their moment of near-worship of his sister, understanding the awe and pride that flowed through them all. Even so, he was glad when the crowd finally started to thin out, Polis Tower finally ahead of them. The two warriors led them to it, only stepping aside when they reached the elevator, and then only the three of them were lifted to one of the higher floors. It stopped one floor sooner than if they were going to the council room, and now it was the healer's turn to lead the way, the three still traveling in silence as he led them to his room. Once safely inside, he pointed to a chair in front of his desk, giving his sister a look.  
  
“Sit,” he told her, even as he moved over to the shelves along one wall and began grabbing what he assumed he would need. She did as ordered without any objections, and as she did he moved to a small hearth, the fire already lit and flickering in the dimming light. Those who worked in the tower knew to always keep it lit just in case, and now he hung the pot of water already sitting on a small table beside it above the dancing flames.  
  
While the healer began working, Lexa's adviser watched her, the concern tugging at the corners of his eyes clear only to someone who knew him well. His Commander saw them, and gave him a look, expression carefully blank.  
  
“You disagree with my choice to allow Asher to live,” she stated, not needing to ask to know the truth. He hesitated and then gave a slight nod.  
  
“Yes,” he admitted, his back straight and hands clasped in front of him. “You fought well, Heda, but the laws are clear: only one survives single combat. Letting the Rock Line King live shows weakness. Blood must have blood.”  
  
“When did blood spill, Titus?” she questioned, a single eyebrow lifting. “Until my blades bit into Asher's skin, I don't remember there being any.”  
  
Titus scowled, the look kept small and controlled but clear. “He challenged you, Heda,” he insisted. “He cannot live after doing so openly.”  
  
“Earlier you insisted he challenged Clarke, not me,” Lexa reminded him, leaning back in her chair, a bit of her adrenaline beginning to ware off and the bone-deep exhaustion that follows battle instead starting to settle in. She could hear her brother still moving around near the fire, and her eyes flickered over to him to see what he was up to even while she added, “If that's the case, why did I need to kill him? I am perfectly aware of how you feel about our new Ice Queen.”  
  
“Whether he challenged her or not no longer matters,” he argued, voice clipped. “You accepted it, and therefore it was your job to show him what happens when one speaks against the Commander.”  
  
“And I did,” she agreed, giving him a nod. Her head tilted back, leaning lightly against the back of the chair as she looked over at him. “For the rest of his life he will carry the mark I gave him, knowing that he is only alive because I chose to allow it.”  
  
“That is not good enough,” Titus insisted, his voice low, clearly trying to get her to see reason. “If people think you are weak your life and your coalition will be in danger, Heda. People must see your ruthless strength in order to keep everything from crumbling.”  
  
“People saw her strength,” Taigon said, finally adding to the conversation. Not turning away from his work at the fire, he pointed towards his window where they could still hear the faintest cries of the crowd still assembled outside. “Or do you not hear their cheering? Those are the cries of the people who love and respect their leader; they will follow her whether she demands blood or not.” Lexa shot her brother a small smile, the look not noticed with his back to her, and then looked at her adviser. It was clear from the lines along his face he still didn't agree, and suddenly she was too tired to continue this conversation.  
  
“Enough Titus,” she ordered as he opened his mouth to make another argument, and obediently he went quiet. “I have had enough of this conversation.” Her eyes met his, both gazes stubborn as they stared at each other. “What's done is done: there is nothing we can do now but wait and see what happens. I made a decision, and I will face its consequences. Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary at the moment.” His jaw tightened, lips pursed together, but rather than regret her words her hand raised, dismissing him. “Leave us for now; I will see you again for tonight's ceremony.” Immediately he bowed, though she could still read the concern badly hidden in his eyes.  
  
“Heda,” he murmured, and then turned, letting himself out of the room and pulling the door shut again behind him. The moment he was gone Lexa allowed herself to sink into her exhaustion, eyes closing and muscles all loosening as her body relaxed further into the chair.  
  
“Tired?” her brother teased, breaking away from the fire and walking over to her, carrying a steaming cup of tea with him. “You must be getting old; when you were younger a little fight like that would only make you wish for another.” One eye cracked open, watching him as he moved closer, barely even having the energy to scowl at him.  
  
“Be careful,” she warned him, head lifting up and both eyes now following his movements. “I am not so tired I cannot still beat you up as I did when we were young.” Despite her words, he caught the smile tugging at the corners of her lips, and readily returned it.  
  
“Before you threaten to beat anyone else up, perhaps we should take care of your wounds from your last fight,” he stated, giving her a look. He held the tea out between them, looking from it to her. “Here, drink this,” he ordered, and she didn't put up any kind of argument, accepting it and then taking a slow swallow of the hot liquid. It burned down her throat, sweet with a bitter aftertaste, and she took another. While she drank it he grabbed the rest of the supplies he'd gathered earlier, and began to spread them out along the desk. As soon as the cup was empty she leaned forward and set it next to the strip of cloth folded neatly in front of her, and before she could lean back he nodded to her torso. “Remove your shirt. I need to get a look at your shoulder.” Even still she didn't argue, instead just shrugged out of her leather vest and let it slide to the floor before grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head.  
  
While she undressed, they heard a knock at the door, and before either of them could say anything it opened slowly. Clarke peeked into the room, gaze skimming over everything inside before seeing the two at the desk, and then she smiled, pushing the door open farther so she could slip in. Taigon noticed his sister's expression soften the moment they saw the blonde, a very similar look reflecting in the queen's face. He himself grinned, nearly shaking his head.  
  
“You have very good timing,” he stated, watching her move towards them, and his grin only grew as her eyes raked over his sister's now bare skin. “How did you find us?”  
  
“I guess I do,” she agreed, eyeing the Commander from her bare stomach up. “I found Titus at the elevator and convinced him to tell me where you were.” He smirked, imagining how that conversation must have gone, and then noticed her grin wipe away and focus settle. Seeing it, he too turned, getting a good look at his sister's shoulder for the first time. It was far from the worst injury he'd ever seen on her, but even so he knew to anyone else it would be painful. Much of the skin had been shredded away, tiny wisps of it still sticking up at the edges of the many short scrapes, everything around it red and raw and beginning to bruise. Light dribbles of blood leaked from the deeper scrapes, and in many he could see tiny pieces of dirt still stuck in the wounds. His sister sat calmly, not looking away from the queen, as though her shoulder couldn't even be considered an irritation.  
  
Glancing between the two, he could easily see the look they shared, and made a decision. Turning to the blonde, he gestured to her. “Come here,” he said, and Clarke managed to pull her gaze away from the wound, looking to him and then doing as she was told. She moved over to stand between him and his sister, and once she did he pointed to what was on the table. “Use this to clean the wound,” he told her, gesturing to the piece of cloth folded neatly. Flashing her a grin, he continued, “I'm sure you already know that part. There is hot water ready above the fire. When you have finished, dab the paste beside it onto the wound.” He motioned to the small jar beside the cloth. “This will help the wound heal. I have already given her tea to help with her energy, so once the wound is cleaned she should be fine.” He smirked over at his sister then, adding, “I should warn you though, she does not always like to sit still long enough for her injuries to be taken care of.”  
  
Lexa rolled her eyes even as Clarke grinned, returning his look. “Don't worry, I think I can figure out a couple of ways to get her to sit still for me.” The healer let out what sounded almost like a snort, looking from the queen to his sister and then back.  
  
“I am sure you can,” he agreed, hand falling to the blonde's shoulder and giving it a little squeeze. “In fact, you will probably do better than I would since she seems to actually listen to you.” Lexa sat up a little straighter, tossing him a little glare, but it did nothing to wipe the grin from his face. Instead he just stepped back, creating space between himself and the two young women as he began making his way to the door. “If she does try to argue with you, don't feel like you need to be gentle. And both of you please remember there is a ceremony very soon you are expected at.”  
  
“We know Taigon,” Lexa told him, the slightest edge to her voice, one they both heard and smirked at. The healer nearly laughed, just managing to hold it back, and instead nodded at her. “Good,” he replied, throwing her a look over his shoulder as he reached the door, “Then I will see you shortly. Behave for Clarke.” With that final order, he slipped out of the room, the door once again closing behind him, and Clarke looked down at the Commander, smirking as one of her eyebrows quirked up.  
  
“Are you going to sit still for me and not argue?” she wanted to know, and almost laughed when Lexa's eyes rolled again. “Yes Clarke,” she muttered, exasperated, and the blonde's smirk grew. “Good choice,” she told her, even as she grabbed the cloth from the table and headed over to the pot of boiling water above the fire. Carefully she dunked most of it in, wringing it out quickly as soon as she pulled it back. Once she'd gotten rid of the excess water, she moved back over to the brunette and got to work.  
  
True to her word, Lexa sat still, not moving in the slightest and instead just watching as the blonde worked at her wound. She felt the warm cloth rub gently along her shoulder, the little spikes of pain that shot out as she coaxed the dirt from the scrapes not nearly strong enough to pull her attention away from her love. Clarke's brow scrunched up, attention entirely on her work, and Lexa's own smoothed out, lips curling into a small smile as she studied the other girl's expression. Clarke barely seemed to notice her look, her focus entirely on her work on Lexa's shoulder, until she pulled the cloth back, the wound now free of dirt and blood.  
  
“What?” she asked, finally glancing up and seeing the way the brunette was looking at her, and Lexa shook her head.  
  
“It's nothing,” she replied, smile not slipping away as she spoke. “I just enjoy watching you.” Clarke's lips turned up, mirroring her look, and then tossed the cloth back to the desk before picking up the jar. Quickly she swiped two fingers inside it, cloudy paste sticking to them as she withdrew them, and then gave it a little sniff. She had to blink, eyes almost watering at the strength of the smell of the herbs in it. “Wow,” she muttered, studying the paste again. “That's some strong cream.” Looking up at Lexa, she asked, “Do you know what's in it?” The Commander shook her head.  
  
“I don't,” she answered, “But I am sure Taigon would be happy to tell you. He may even be able to show you how it is made.”  
  
“I'll have to ask,” Clarke agreed, and then placed the jar back on the table and leaned forward, getting back to work. Her clean hand moved to cup Lexa's arm gently, just to make sure it didn't move, while she began to lightly spread the cream along her shoulder, making sure to cover every bit of the wound.  
  
She leaned a little closer to the wound and got another whiff of the cream, and with it thought of something she'd heard earlier that day. Eyes flickering up to meet green still watching her, she simply asked, “Mount Weather?” Clearly reading the rest of the question behind the words, Lexa nodded.  
  
“It was your mother's idea,” she replied. “I visited Arkadia about a month ago and she told me she wanted to look at the medical facilities. When she told me what she was thinking, I agreed. A small group of us went back and while my warriors and a few of her people removed the doors, she and I brought some healers down to take a look at what was there. She seemed pleased with what she found.”  
  
“And you're really okay with that?” Clarke wanted to know, fingers still moving gently along Lexa's shoulder even while blue eyes remained locked on hers. “You're really okay with having people in there again, using that equipment?”  
  
The Commander gave a small nod, remaining otherwise still. “I am,” she answered quietly, looking away. Staring ahead of her while the queen continued her work, she told her, “After we burned the dead, I wanted my people to be able to forget about that place. I hoped we would be able to leave it all behind us. I walked away from my enemy's tek thinking only of how it had been used against us and because of that Nia was able to once again turn those weapons on my people. I was wrong then, but now I have an opportunity to use that tek in a way that will help us.” She glanced back over at the blonde, the corners of her lips pulling up into a soft smile. “We have an opportunity; all of us. I have to take it.”  
  
The queen met her look, mirroring the curl of her lips. “A hospital's a good idea,” she agreed, pulling back to lean against the desk, her work on Lexa's shoulder done. She wiped her fingers against her pants, removing the excess cream still sticking to them, but didn't look away from Lexa. “The equipment inside Mount Weather is more advanced than anything they have at Arkadia. I think you and my mom were right, to decide to do this.” The Commander nodded, mind clearly stuck on the mountain and how this would affect her people, and the queen studied her for a second. Reaching out, she pulled Lexa's attention back to her when her fingers slowly pushed through her own, gently taking her hand. The brunette glanced down at the conjoined hands, automatically giving it a light squeeze, before she looked back up at her love. Clarke met the look, expression open, and gave a small shrug.  
  
“I can't say whether you were wrong back then or not, but you were right today,” she informed her, the Commander's head tilting partially to the side, eyes scanning across her face. Her thumb brushed along Lexa's knuckles, unconsciously playing with her hand. “I never would have been able to beat Asher in that fight. When he pulled out that boudagon,” the new word felt strange on her tongue, and she noticed Lexa's brow crinkle in amusement hearing it, “I think my heart stopped. I've never seen anything like that before. You were right, Asher came into the council meeting planning to challenge me. I don't think I would have ever been able to talk him out of it, and if I'd been tricked into that fight I'd be dead now. So thank you, and I'm sorry for being so mad. I shouldn't have been.”  
  
Lexa shook her head, brushing the apology away as she gave a small tug on the hand still entwined with hers. She caught Clarke's grin as she was pulled forward, and then they released their hold on the other's hand as the blonde straddled her lap, being careful not to brush against the Commander's shoulder. Lexa's arms circled around her waist, holding her close, while Clarke began to twirl the ends of her hair between the fingertips of one hand and the other splayed across her abdomen, just enjoying being able to feel her skin.  
  
“You have nothing to apologize for, Clarke,” she informed her love, her fingers pressing lightly against the blonde's back. “You were right to be angry with me: I told you I would let you be queen and stop interfering with your decisions but I did it anyway.”  
  
“You were just trying to protect me,” Clarke murmured, and then corrected with a small smile, “You were protecting me. That was a fight I wouldn't have been able to win.”  
  
“You would have been at a disadvantage,” Lexa agreed. Her arms tightened around the queen, pulling her a little closer as she said, “But I learned a long time ago never to count you out.” She gave her love a slight grin, a look Clarke quickly returned, before the blonde was leaning down and their lips met in a light kiss. She knew Clarke heard the small sigh that escaped her the moment their lips touched, and felt it as her hands moved up, cupping her face and holding her close. They remained together for a long moment, happy just to be pressed so closely to the other, before Clarke finally pulled back. She continued to smile down at Lexa, the hand opposite the injured shoulder sliding along the back of her neck, and the next moment the Commander's eyes closed as she felt fingers begin to lightly press against the back of her scalp. The minor massage felt good, something she could easily have gotten lost in, but rather than let herself she forced her eyes open again, looking back up at her queen.  
  
“You were right as well,” she told the blonde. Clarke's brow partially furrowed, obviously not sure what she was referring to, and watched as the soft expression on her love's face pulled into something more serious. “I love our ways,” she continued, grip subconsciously tightening around her as she thought of her people and their history. “I believe in jus drein jus daun; they are words I live by. But you were right: if we always demand blood then my people will never stop bleeding. I formed this coalition because I wanted everyone to be able to live in peace, for the fighting to stop. If it's to remain strong, I have to be able to hold it together using more than just my strength as a warrior.” She looked up, meeting Clarke's gaze as it studied her, and shrugged. “I do not know what is going to happen now with Asher and Hektar, or how the other clans will react to what I did, but I believe I made the right choice. Because of you.”  
  
Clarke felt her heart swell in her chest, Lexa's words stealing her breath away, and in the next moment she stole the Commander's as well. Her grip on the back of her head tightened and then she crashed their lips together, the kiss long and deep, both girls closing their eyes as they fell into it. Lexa's hands moved to the blonde's hips, fingers digging in lightly to hold her in place, while Clarke's remained at the back of her head and the other dropped to gently grip the side of her neck. Their mouths danced together, moving almost effortlessly against the other's as though they had been born knowing every step to this dance. The queen didn't entirely know how to vocalize what the Commander's words meant to her, but Lexa understood, could feel them in her touch.  
  
“I love you,” Clarke whispered when her lips eventually pulled away from the brunette's. Lexa's eyes opened to find blue already staring back at her, and felt like she easily could have drowned in everything she read in them. “So much.”  
  
“I love you as well,” she murmured back, gaze dropping to her lips and then flitting right back up, as though she couldn't stand not being able to look at every little detail on the other girl's face at once. “Yu gada in ain tombom.” Clarke's smile seemed to radiate down on her and she marveled at it, lost in its beauty, until those lips once again moved to hers, this time pressing a slow deliberate pressure against her mouth. Her breath hitched in her throat but she ignored it, needing nothing but to return the pressure.  
  
This time when the queen pulled away, she did so completely, sliding herself off of the brunette's lap, grinning when she noticed the way Lexa's expression fell at the loss of contact. “I should go,” she said, still clearly amused as her love nearly scowled at the suggestion. Nodding towards the windows along the side of the room, she continued, “The ceremony's going to be starting soon, and your brother's right that we need to be there. We should both be getting ready for it.” Lexa followed her gaze, finding only the barest hints of light now coming in through the window, the fire and many candles around the room now providing most of the light around them. She let out a sigh, but didn't try to stop the queen as she took another step back.  
  
“You're right,” she made herself say, gracefully standing up from the chair, bending over to grab her shirt and vest from the floor as she did so. Even though they were alone, she allowed her role of Commander to slip back into place, her posture immediately going straight and hands folding neatly in front of her with the two pieces of clothing now hanging over an arm. As Clarke began to pass her, she forced them to remain where they were, the urge to reach out and pull her close once again as strong as ever. “We should be getting ready for the ceremony.” She allowed her mask to slip for a second, flashing a little smile at the blonde. “I do not think my brother would ever let me hear the end of it, if I was late to this because we were alone together and did not realize the time.”  
  
“Definitely not,” Clarke agreed, nodding as she led the way to the door. Shooting her a look over her shoulder, she added, “Though that does remind me that I need to talk to him. With more than two weeks in Polis, that gives me all kinds of time to learn more embarrassing stories about you.” The Commander slipped away entirely at that, and only Lexa was left to glare at the blonde.  
  
“That is not funny, Clarke,” she told her, following the queen out into the hallway. “I am sure my brother has already shared more than enough stories about me.” The queen grabbed her hand, giving it a quick squeeze before she leaned over, kissing her lightly on the cheek.  
  
“I will never be able to hear enough stories about you, Lexa,” she promised her, grinning as she pulled back. “And Taigon's the only person I know who isn't too afraid of you to tell me the embarrassing ones. Plus he's probably the only one who knows most of them.”  
  
Lexa let out a little huff, the sound not nearly dignified enough to come from the Commander. “I regret ever introducing the two of you,” she muttered, fighting with herself not to smile as Clarke let out a little laugh. She had to remind herself she was supposed to be exasperated with the blonde, but she was finding it nearly impossible to do so, especially when her love was so clearly happy.  
  
Perhaps an embarrassing story here or there wasn't a terrible price to pay in order to hear Clarke's laugh. 

***

Monty's eyes flicked nervously around, easily reading the uncertainty etched along many of the faces of the nearly two dozen people gathered. Immediately after the Commander's fight with the Rock Line King Abby and Kane had gathered everyone together. It hadn't taken long for the Commander's final declaration to get translated, and now it seemed like everyone who had been at the fight to hear it had already passed it along to those who hadn't. A strange energy buzzed through the small crowd, one he could easily feel as people continued to murmur to each other.  
  
“I know this has come as a shock to you,” Abby told them, speaking loudly from where she stood at the front of the assembled Sky People. Her hands lifted up, as though she were trying to usher the group into calm, but Monty could tell it wasn't working. “It was a shock for me too when the Commander told me what she wanted to do, but I made the decision.”  
  
“We made the decision,” Kane added, stepping up just behind her, his hand falling to her shoulder for a brief instant. He barely looked at her, instead just continued to stare out at them. “We made this decision in order to keep everyone safe. It's the best way to prevent any new war from breaking out.”  
  
“By becoming Grounders?” someone asked, but Monty couldn't see who. “Why would we want to do that?”  
  
“Becoming the thirteenth clan assures our safety,” Abby answered him, looking out over the entire group still. “No clan within the coalition can attack another: we would be safe.”  
  
“For how long?” another person wanted to know. “What if they just decide they don't need us? What'll stop them from breaking their word?”  
  
“It's the Commander's law,” Kane informed them. “They won't be able to just break it.”  
  
“But what if they do?” Monty heard Monroe ask, and turned to his friend, standing only a few feet away. “I know we're not fighting them now, but it wouldn't be the first time they broke their word with us.” A general murmur of agreement went through the crowd, a few people nodding or frowning, and Monty swallowed thickly, looking worriedly at Abby and Kane. Before either of them could answer though, a new voice spoke up from behind them.  
  
“They won't break it,” he heard, and he along with just about everyone else turned around to see Octavia and Lincoln standing at the edge of the Arkers' camp. She stepped towards the crowd, Lincoln just behind her, and let her eyes scan over them all.  
  
“Lexa left us at Mount Weather, yeah, but since then she's done everything to keep peace between her people and Skaikru,” she continued, still looking over them all. “If you join the coalition and become the thirteenth clan, you'll be protected under her laws, and that's what'll keep you safe. The other clans would think twice about attacking you when they know she's already accepted you, especially after what happened with Nia and today with Asher. Doing this is the best way to keep everyone safe.”  
  
“So what, we're Grounders now?” Jasper asked, speaking up for the first time. Monty turned to his best friend, the other boy standing right next to him, and tried not to wince at his tone. Ever since they'd gone to rescue Clarke, pieces of his friend had begun to come back, but he was still far from the same person he'd grown up with on the Ark. He no longer spent every moment drowning his pain in alcohol, but there were times where the shadows came back out, shrouding his expression, and this was one of those times. “Now we get spears and start tying people from trees, is that it? Let me guess, we're gunna have to just hand over our guns, huh?”  
  
“No,” Kane answered, looking directly at Jasper, and then over the crowd as people began to murmur once again. “The Commander has already said we'll be able to keep our weapons.”  
  
“Arkadia will still be the same,” Abby continued, picking up almost before Kane had even finished. “We will still have our traditions, our laws and our ways. But now we'll also fall under the laws of the coalition. We will follow the Commander, and in turn she will respect our people and welcome us as part of hers.”  
  
More murmuring broke out, a number of people turning to those beside them, still clearly unsure how they felt about this new development. Monty watched them, eyes darting back and forth from the two leaders at the front of the crowd and those around him, unsure how this would play out. For the most part everyone who'd made the trip from Arkadia were loyal, likely to listen and agree with whatever Abby or Kane said, but this seemed to be big enough that even some of these people weren't sure they could entirely get on board with it.  
  
Someone new stepped forward, joining the two leaders, and those immediately around Monty focused on him, the rest of the crowd following suit only a moment after.  
  
“I get that this is a hard choice for us to make,” Bellamy began, gaze skimming over them all. “Most of us can't help but think about everything we've been through, how much suffering we've dealt with. But you're forgetting something: we're on the ground. We're talking like we're something different, but we're already Grounders. Some of us have been Grounders since the moment the dropship came down, and the rest of us became Grounders only a few weeks later. Joining the coalition doesn't change who we are, it just makes us part of something bigger.” He took a step towards them all, arms gesturing out and expression open. “You all know how I feel about the Commander and everything she's put us through, it's no secret. But what she's doing now, what she did today, this is different. This might actually be a step towards a peace that lasts.”  
  
“They're right,” Raven spoke up, moving up to stand near Bellamy. Glancing out over the crowd, she asked, “Think about the last few months; hasn't it been nice, not having to worry about a new attack every day? Not having to bury another friend every week? If we do this, if we _really_ do this, it could stay this way. We wouldn't have to worry and spend every moment trying to prepare for the next fight. We could actually relax.” Some people in the crowd began to nod, the words finally beginning to break through to them, and Monty began to feel his concern start to slip away little by little, never entirely leaving but at least making it easier to breathe.  
  
Abby clearly saw the shift as well, and stepped forward, one hand coming down to rest on Raven's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.  
  
“The coalition celebrations will last for about two weeks,” she stated, pulling the crowd's focus back to her. “I will be staying here to take part in them, to learn more about the other clans and to teach them about us. Some of you will stay here with me during that time. Others,” she glanced over her shoulder, and Kane moved up next to her, “Will go back with Marcus to Arkadia and tell everyone else what's happening. The rest of our people deserve to know about this as well.”  
  
“For those of you coming with me, we'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon,” he told them. “And then we'll be coming back to Polis after talking to everyone in Arkadia. That means there's going to be a lot of traveling for us over the next few days, so you should all get some rest while you can. We'll be reaching out to let you know whether you'll be staying here or coming with me.” Looking them over, he nodded once, flashing them a smile. “Thank you, everyone. We appreciate your cooperation.”  
  
Those final few words were a dismal and everyone knew it, the crowd beginning to break up, some people moving over to the fire already made at the side of the open space, others moving inside either of the buildings that had become their temporary home. Monty stayed where he was, his friends not leaving either.  
  
“How come neither of you look as surprised as the rest of us?” Harper asked Bellamy and Raven as they moved towards the smaller group. She lifted an eyebrow at them, looking at them suspiciously.  
  
“We already knew,” Raven admitted, giving a shrug of her shoulder. “Kane and Abby told us after they accepted the Commander's proposal. We just couldn't tell anyone about it.”  
  
Octavia shot a look at her brother, just as suspicious as Harper had been. “How much of that did you mean?” she wanted to know. “You sounded like you actually agree with this plan.” Raven mirrored the look. “Yeah Bellamy, where'd that come from? Yesterday you hated the idea, now you're on board? When did that happen?”  
  
He looked over at them and shrugged.  
  
“I still don't exactly like the idea, but it's happening,” he replied, posture and tone a little stiff. “And as different as we are from them, we _are_ Grounders. We're on the ground, so we better figure this all out now before something else happens.” He nodded towards the mechanic, speaking more directly to her even as the rest of them listened. “And you were right Raven: I don't trust the Commander, but I do trust Clarke and Abby and Kane. They think this is our best shot, so I'll go along with it for now.”  
  
Jasper scoffed, shaking his head. “Our best shot is to trust the Commander?” His head tipped back, glancing up at the sky, lips pulled into a little smirk that didn't go anywhere near reaching his eyes. “Isn't that ironic?” He let out another humorless laugh and then walked away from them, moving over to join those around the fire. Monty watched him go, frowning, once again missing his best friend. Miller, standing on his other side, gave him a light nudge, pulling his attention away from the other boy. A corner of his mouth quirked up, giving him a half smile to try to cheer him up, and Monty found himself returning it.  
  
While Miller tried to get him to smile, Octavia looked between Raven and her brother.  
  
“So you two knew about this, huh?” she asked, and they both nodded. Rather than say anything to her, Bellamy looked at Monroe and Harper, tilting his head towards them.  
  
“I want you two to go back to Arkadia with Kane,” he informed them. “He's gonna have a hard time getting everyone there to get on board with this, and I want you to help him. You should at least be able to convince the rest of the Delinquents, and then go from there.”  
  
Harper nodded, but even as she did Monroe lifted an eyebrow, asking, “And what if we're still not sure about this?” He met the look, telling her, “You pretend you are. You convince them you are, and that this is what needs to happen, whether you agree with it or not.” She studied him for a second, apparently thinking it over, and then gave a little shrug. “Kay,” she just agreed, “We'll take care of it.” He flashed her a half of a smile, nodding to her. “I know you will.”  
  
Octavia was too busy focusing on the conversation around her to realize what time it was, and so was surprised when she felt Lincoln's hand on her shoulder. Looking up at him, he gestured behind him.  
  
“Come on Octavia,” he said, “We should be getting back. Clarke should be getting ready for the ceremony by now. We need to be ready when she is.” She nodded, but before they could pull away from the group, Bellamy looked behind them.  
  
“Where is Clarke?” he wanted to know, shifting slightly where he stood. Giving a smirk, he added, “I would have thought she'd be with you, to make sure everyone was convinced to go for this thirteenth clan thing.”  
  
Beside him, Raven scoffed. “Please,” she asked, raising an eyebrow while one fist fell to her hip. “You really have to ask that? Her girlfriend just fought a man built like a fucking mountain who twirled a rock around on a chain; where do you think she is?” Octavia grinned, Miller smirked, and even Monty couldn't help it as his lips pulled up into a small smile. “Right,” Bellamy just said, almost flushing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Of course.”  
  
“Come on,” Lincoln repeated, squeezing Octavia's shoulder lightly, and as his love turned towards him, ready to go, he looked back at their friends. “You should come tonight,” he told them, looking over the small group. “Not everyone from each clan will be able to fit, but you should come and see this. It might help you see us differently.”  
  
“We know who you are, Lincoln,” Harper told him with a grin, but when he shook his head once, that grin fell away.  
  
“I am just as much Grounder as the rest of the people you don't trust,” he replied seriously. “These are my people, my ways. Just because I chose Octavia over them doesn't mean I am better than they are.” He looked down at said girl, slipping his hand into hers as she smiled at him. “It just means I was willing to look past what we thought was true to learn what was really true.” His love squeezed his hand, her eyes bright as he returned her small smile. “We did not let our people's beliefs get in our way.”  
  
“Hell no,” she agreed, flashing him another smile, before she looked back at her friends. “Time for everyone else to catch up.” Giving them all a final look, she tugged at his hand, turning and leading him back out into the street to go meet up with their queen.  
  
“They're right,” Monty murmured, watching them go, and felt it as those left looked at him. His focus shifted, glancing around their loose circle. “It's time to stop thinking we're so different. We're not.” They all just stood there for a moment, each thinking it all over in their own way, and then Raven shrugged. Giving a little smirk, she asked, “Alright, so who wants to go crash this party?” 

***

With the soft leather slippers on her feet, Lexa made nearly no sound as she walked forward, the slight train of her dress trailing silently along behind her. Her pauldron and sash still hung in her room, to be worn again in the morning, but now she took on another face of the Commander. Her war paint had been washed away, the black lines that so often adorned her skin switched over to kohl, its soft black streaks etched along her eyes and drawn to her temples. Instead of black armor she wore a black dress, a single strip of faded red cloth a striking difference against the dark material taking the place of her usual sash. Leather buckles pulled at the waist of the dress, and just above them a thin chain hung diagonally from above one breast halfway to the opposite hip, the light _chinking_ of the chain the only sound from her movement. In this dress she stood more as leader than warrior, and as she continued forward she felt her spine continue to straighten with every step she took.  
  
Because of her quiet movements, she could hear the noise from the room at the end of the hall long before anyone inside knew she was coming. The doors must have closed only minutes earlier, the leaders and onlookers of tonight's ceremony all gathered inside, and now only three people stood before her, the two warriors who would stand guard outside the door and Ryder. All three watched her as she approached before falling into a deep bow from the shoulders. She stopped beside Ryder, still staring at the door in front of her rather than look at him.  
  
“Are our three clan leaders ready?” she asked quietly, her tone low. He nodded, barely lifting out of the bow. “Good,” she said, and then ordered, “Summon them. It is time we begin.” He nodded again and stepped away, moving down the long hall to do as he was told. As he moved, Lexa nodded to the two guards in front of her, and as one they moved, pushing the doors open in a grand sweep of movement. The light inside the room was brighter than that of the hallway, far more candles lit with the large crowd inside, but even so she didn't flinch as her eyes quickly adjusted to the shift.  
  
The second the doors opened, the noise inside the room ended, silence immediately cutting it off. A hoard of people stood inside waiting, and almost as one they turned to see their Commander standing in the doorway. She looked nowhere but straight ahead as she finally stepped into the room, following the red carpet rolled out in a straight line in front of her. Eyes tracked her movement, dozens of pairs following her, but she just looked towards her throne in front of her until she reached it, and only once she had did she turn around, letting her gaze sweep out over those gathered for the ceremony. Titus stood in his usual place to her right, and this time a woman stood to her left, just at the edge of the dais. She nodded to Ona, indicating she should begin, and the next second she did, her hauntingly beautiful voice ringing out over the crowd.

_Yumi na teik won sonraun au? (And will you take a life with me?)  
Medo ste thonken (A body's hollow)  
Medo drein au (A body bleeds)  
Oso kik raun (We live as one)  
Ogeda, soulou (We live alone)  
Ai laik yu gona (I am your soldier)  
Ai na get raun, you (I will atone)_

While the singer brought to life their anthem, Lexa allowed herself to look out over her people. The ten leaders already present stood tall at the front of the crowd, their chairs having been cleared away for the ceremony, and she saw a range of emotions flicking across their faces. Valia's eyes were closed, her lips silently moving along with the words. Beside the leader of the Podakru, Anoq stood proudly, staring straight in front of him, and yet Lexa could sense his peace. Sheni and Jace, standing together, leaned heavily on each other, their hands clasped down at their sides while across from them Cela's head had tipped back, eyes nearly half-lidded as she listened to their anthem.  
  
Behind the leaders stood many of their warriors and advisers, equally as moved by the words they all believed in so entirely. Elia and Elana weren't touching, but they held themselves in a way that Lexa knew they wished to be, and she could see the dampness neither allowed to truly form in their eyes. Unable to hold her own tears entirely back, Shayne was half hidden behind her leader, and the Commander watched as a single tear slid smoothly along her cheek. Also just behind the Floukru leader, Lexa found Dala, the other girl still staring up in awe at her. Being careful not to let anything about her expression change, she allowed her gaze to sweep calmly over her before looking away. Standing a little apart from her own people, Asta had her head bent down, eyes also closed as she allowed herself to get lost momentarily in the haunting words. Back against the wall just below her dais she found Aden, her student staring straight ahead, his shoulders proudly squared, and for a moment she almost felt as though she were staring at an image of her younger self, standing behind Anya during one of the Trikru ceremonies.

_Yumi na teik won sonraun au? (And will you take a like with me?)  
Ai keryon gyon op (My soul moves on)  
Ai keryon g'breik au (My soul is freed)  
Pas skaikrasha (After the storm)  
Klin tristraka (A lightning flash)  
En houd don gonmhosh trashsaka (With all the world reduced to ash)_

Huddled together not far from her dais, Lexa found a number of Skaikru, all ones she knew well enough to at least name. Marcus stood at the forefront of the group, his eyes having closed almost as soon as the anthem began, and though she knew he couldn't understand every word of it, he seemed to be getting just as lost in it as any of her people. Raven and Bellamy were beside him, Bellamy frowning slightly as he looked around, clearly trying to take it all in while Raven's head had tilted, as though she were trying to hear the song better. Taigon stood on Raven's other side, and when he noticed her look over he flashed his sister the smallest of smiles, barely noticeable to anyone else. Lexa didn't return it, unable to with so many people still watching her, but could tell he knew she'd seen it. Monty, Miller, Harper and Monroe stood behind them, all with various ranges of surprise or uncertainty flashing across their faces.  
  
Those who'd come for the Ice Nation stood beside the Skaikru, Octavia and Lincoln both focused on the anthem while Nygel and Callie seemed to be subtly looking around the room. A bit of movement in front of the two women pulled her attention, and she glanced down, finding Reese and Thom. Reese stood a little stiffly, ever trying to play the good warrior, while Thom shifted where he stood, clearly bored. She wondered for a moment whether or not it had been wise to bring them, but allowed the thought to drift away almost immediately. They were not the only children in the room, a few other leaders having brought their own, and as Clarke's Second Lexa knew Reese had just as much right to be there as anyone else. Learning that Reese was going, she didn't doubt that Thom hadn't stopped arguing until he'd been allowed to join as well. Beside them Echo and Niylah appeared to be momentarily lost in the anthem, but Jojesh looked nowhere but at the doorway, and as she heard footsteps approaching, Lexa followed his gaze and felt her breath catch in her chest. 

_Yumi na teik won sonraun au? (And will you take a life with me?)  
Houd na fleim daun (This world will burn)  
Bed'ge jok au (Save what you need)  
Ai nou fir raun (I am fearless)  
Ai mana jomp in (I aim to fight)  
Ai mana wan op (I aim to die)  
Ai don sin y'in (You're in my sight)_

The three absent clan leaders slowly made their way into the room, and now it was their turn to have everyone stare at them. Tey led the way, his long robe tied easily around his middle and bare arms hanging at his sides, the robe nearly gold in the flickering candlelight. Matching gold sparkled along his nostril, the piece of jewelry that marked him as leader of his people glinting in the firelight. He walked forward with his head held high, no other markings other than the robe and jewelry needed in order to make him stand out.  
  
Abby followed behind the leader of the Shallow Valley Clan, head tilted up and clearly forcing herself to remain staring forward. She wore nothing particularly special, probably at least partially due to the fact she hadn't known she would be taking part in this ceremony until only a couple of days ago, and a small piece of Lexa felt jealous. She never particularly minded the dresses she sometimes had to wear, but she far preferred moments when she could wear clothes she felt more comfortable in. Along her neck, the necklace the Chancellor always wore glinted just as brightly as Tey's nose ring.  
  
Each of the first two leaders looked strong and proud as they made their way across the room, but Lexa had a hard time looking at anyone other than Clarke. The moment the Ice Queen appeared from behind her mother, Lexa felt as though her breath had been officially stripped from her lungs.  
  
White paint had been spread across the queen's eyes, much in the same way Lexa's kohl had been. The bright of the white paint made her blue eyes appear all at once darker and lighter than usual, and the Commander had a hard time looking away from them. Much of her hair hung over her shoulders as usual, but little braids had been woven into it here and there, many of the braids along the top of her head used to elegantly pull the hair back and keep it out of her face. A white dress hung off of her, hugging her curves perfectly, the front cut away just above her knees while the back fell all the way to the floor. Over the dress she wore a black leather vest with sleeves that only just barely hung off of her shoulders, held together by only two simple buckles along the front. To Lexa, she was nothing more than the picture of royalty, and it took every ounce of self restraint she'd managed to build up over the years to keep herself from falling to her knees before her.

_Yumi na teik won sonraun au? (And will you take a life with me?)  
Jus drein jus daun (Blood must have blood)  
Ai medo drein au (My body bleeds)_

The three leaders crossed the room, following the red carpet almost completely up to the dais, and then spread out in a straight line before their Commander. As the last few lines of the anthem rung out, almost as one the three lowered themselves to their knees, heads bowing in respect to their leader. The next second and the wave pushed out across the room, the sound of dozens of people kneeling echoing along with the final word of the song. Lexa allowed for a moment of silence at the end of the anthem, the singer's voice still washing over everyone, and then finally began.  
  
“Hail leaders, warriors, of the thirteen clans,” she stated, and as one her people echoed back, “Hail Commander of the Spirit.” Glancing over them all, she simply told them, “Rise.” Everyone but Tey, Abby and Clarke rose, the three clan leaders remaining lowered before her. She forced herself to look past them, addressing the rest of those gathered.  
  
“Once again we gather to celebrate our coalition,” she said, her voice ringing out just as powerfully as Ona's had. “For three years now twelve clans have come together to be one people, and tonight we welcome another. Tonight, and each night for the next two weeks, we celebrate each clan individually, as well as the coalition as a whole. But first,” she allowed her gaze to drop to the three still kneeling before her, “To symbolize the union of clan and coalition, our three new leaders must bare our mark.” She looked up for a moment over to Shet, the warrior standing to the side of the room where a fire pit niche was almost hidden amongst the wall. He gave her a nod and pulled a long-handled brand from its coals, the symbol at its end glowing red hot. As the warrior moved across the room towards them, she looked down at Tey. “Wonhef Tei, rise.”  
  
The leader of the Shallow Valley Clan did as she commanded, face tilting up to meet her eyes. Without any hesitation, he raised his arm, presenting it to her and the warrior now at his side. With a nod from the Commander, Shet easily brought the hot iron down, pressing the design at its end against his forearm. Lexa stood close enough she could smell his skin as it burned and blistered beneath the iron, but to the leader's credit his expression barely wavered, only the smallest wince of his eyes telling her he felt it. A moment later and Shet pulled the brand back, but now an oval stood out clearly against his skin, two half ovals overlapping inside it with a single dot immediately at its center.  
  
“Chancellor Abby, rise,” she said, and Abby did, though Lexa watched her swallow thickly as she moved. The Chancellor removed her jacket and rolled up one sleeve, presenting bare skin to both Commander and warrior, and again Shet lowered the iron, pressing it now against her arm. Her jaw clenched, the softest of hisses escaping between grit teeth, but she didn't flinch away, only her hands curling into tight fists to truly give away her discomfort. The warrior removed the brand and the same symbol was left against her arm, and with that Skaikru was officially the thirteenth clan.  
  
With the final leader to go, Lexa turned her gaze to Clarke, not allowing her expression to shift in the slightest.  
  
“Kwin Klark, rise,” she called, and now Clarke rose to her feet, looking up and meeting the Commander's eyes, not even looking at Shet. Rather than present her arm as the previous two leaders, her hands moved to the two buckles at her vest, easily undoing them. The vest opened and she rolled her shoulders, letting it fall away to reveal the rest of her strapless dress.  
  
“ _I will carry my mark on my back,_ ” she stated in nearly perfect Trigedasleng. “ _Where I carry the rest of my marks._ ” Out of the corner of her eye, Lexa saw Shet look to her, but she didn't look away from the queen even as she nodded. The warrior moved at her nod, circling to the blonde's back, and Lexa watched as Clarke squared her shoulders. The iron came down and the Commander saw the queen's nostrils flare ever so slightly as her jaw clenched, but just as the two before her, she held still and didn't pull away from the iron's burn. Shet removed the iron, its end now a dull red where before it had been bright, and stepped away. Lexa's eyes trailed over the three still before her, pride swelling up in her chest for not just them but everyone they represented.  
  
“Welcome, Wonhef Tei, Chancellor Abby, and Kwin Klark: you are now leaders of our coalition.”  
  
Despite the reservations many of those in the room had for two of the new clan leaders, the crowd erupted into cheers, clapping and yelling and foot-stomping drowning out anything else that could be said. Lexa allowed it, almost giving in to the desire to cheer herself, and only just held herself back. While their people celebrated, she stared at Clarke and the queen stared right back, the blonde giving her a small smile from where she stood, one that the Commander may not have entirely been able to keep herself from returning. 

***

A tired Thom shifted against her, his head turning and pressing into the crook of her neck, and Clarke pulled her vest more securely around him. She'd been holding him for a while now, letting herself sway lightly as he began to fall asleep against her, speaking to those who approached her around his little form. At the moment she was alone with just him and her Second,the people she'd spent the evening talking to having already left, and she found herself looking around now at who was still hanging around. Her mother and Kane had stayed for a little while after the ceremony itself was over, but then needed to go finish making plans for the next week. Most of her friends left with them, all giving her smiles and congratulations before they went, and she'd had to promise Monty that she would stop by the Skaikru camp sometime in the next few days to truly catch up. Echo and Niylah had also gone, Echo clearly bored and Niylah left with little to do as her queen kept getting interrupted by others, and now she looked over to see Jojesh standing off to the side with Octavia and Lincoln, clearly not at all focused on whatever they were talking about with Indra as he kept looking over to check on her. A few of the clan leaders had left also, taking their people with them and leaving far more space in the now far less crowded room.  
  
“Does it hurt?” she heard, and looked down beside her to find Reese once again staring at the new mark now branded against her shoulder blade. Giving the girl a smile, she shrugged, Thom's body moving with the motion.  
  
“A little,” she admitted, even though she could still feel the heat radiating from the mark. Reese still eyed it, clearly not entirely convinced she wasn't in pain, but quickly forgot about it as footsteps approached them. Both the queen and her Second turned towards them, and Reese's mouth curled up into a large grin when she saw Shayne, one of her first Grounder friends heading towards them with her own grin.  
  
“Shayne!” the girl exclaimed, about to run forward until she stopped herself. Clarke could practically see her fighting with herself to contain her excitement, and it didn't look like the other Second was doing much better.  
  
“Hei, Ris!” Shayne said, moving straight to the other girl. Glancing up, she caught Clarke's eye, and the awe appeared once again as she nearly bowed. “Wanheda. Congratulations!”  
  
Clarke grinned down at Shayne, tilting her head down slightly. “Mochof, Shein,” she replied, and then she looked over to Reese. “Why don't you two go catch up?” she offered, nodding towards a spot along the wall where no one was currently standing, and Reese shot her a smile. She grabbed her friend's hand and led the way, the two already talking excitedly together before they could take more than a few steps.  
  
Luna and a young woman had followed Shayne over, and now Clarke looked over to see the leader of the Boat People shaking her head, the corners of her lips pulled up.  
  
“It is always nice, being able to see a friend once again,” she stated, giving the queen an amused look, one which the blonde quickly returned.  
  
“It is,” she agreed, shifting Thom so that she could balance his weight more heavily against her hip. She reached out with her now free arm, and Luna quickly took it, gripping it tightly for just a moment before she let them drop. Clarke saw her take in the sleeping boy against her, and thought her lips only curled up more.  
  
“I see someone is tired,” she said, nodding to Thom, and Clarke nodded. “I tried to convince him he'd be happier back at the camp, but he wanted to come.” Now she knew Luna's smile grew, even as she saw her expression soften. “Children always want to be part of what is going on around them,” she replied. She glanced at the young woman beside her, adding, “My daughter was similar, when she was young.”  
  
“Your daughter?” Clarke asked, looking at the girl, and Luna nodded. “Sha. Clarke, this is my daughter Dala. Dala, Kwin Klark.”  
  
Dala was too busy eyeing the blonde to say anything, and Clarke eyed her right back. She remembered the brief story she'd once heard about this other girl, and took this opportunity to look over the girl who had been crushing on Lexa for years. Dark brown hair fell in waves over her shoulders, and though they were slightly narrowed Clarke could see that her eyes were only a few shades lighter. The shirt she wore had sleeves that went a third of the way down her arms, and a tattoo peaked out from beneath one, a mixture of brown and blue designs etched along pale skin. At the moment her plump lips were pursed, eyes trailing over the queen, and even under the scrutinizing look Clarke had to admit she was beautiful.  
  
“It's nice to meet you, Dala,” she said politely, and those brown eyes trailed back up, meeting her own. The girl hesitated for just a moment, and then nodded. “It is nice to meet you, Queen Clarke,” she replied, tone a little too polite to go unnoticed. “I have heard much about you.” Clarke just gave her a nod, and then the two fell into a sort of staring contest, still taking in the other girl.  
  
Luna seemed to sense the way the two were eyeing each other up, and looked back over to the queen, breaking their focus by saying, “You did well today in the council meeting. Even when Asher wanted to challenge you, you remained calm. That is not always easy to do against a man like him.”  
  
Clarke's eyes shifted over to her, letting the awkwardness between her and Dala fall away as she gave the other leader a shrug. “Thank you. With any luck, hopefully there won't be anymore challenges after today.” Luna gave her a look, smirking a little as she raised an eyebrow, clearly telling the queen what she thought of that.  
  
“We will see,” she simply replied before she looked around the room. “Only a fool would dare speak out again after what the Commander did today, but unfortunately some leaders or more foolish than others. Asher is a leader because of his strength, not because of his mind.” Almost sighing at the words, Clarke followed her gaze, finding that while they'd been talking even more people had left the room. Everyone from the Desert Clan and Plains Riders had left, as had those from the Broadleaf Clan. Even as she watched, Valia led the Lake People out of the room, and it looked as though Sheni and Jace were finishing up whatever conversation they were having with Lexa by the dais. The Commander caught her eye as she looked, and though she gave no indication to the leaders of the Glowing Forest Clan that her attention had wavered, Clarke caught the almost non-existent smile that ghosted across her lips.  
  
About to turn back to Luna and her daughter, the queen's focus instead turned to Daniel and Danias as she noticed them walking towards her. As always, Danias wore an easy smirk, eyes dancing with mischief, while Daniel smiled warmly at her.  
  
“And so now you are officially a leader of our coalition,” Danias stated as they closed the distance between them. Flashing her a grin, he asked, “How does it feel?”  
  
“Good,” she answered simply, returning his grin. “It feels pretty good.” He nodded, and then she saw him glance over her, grin growing before he bowed gracefully to her. “You look more than good,” he informed her, eyes twinkling as he winked. “I do not believe even radiant would accurately describe how you look in that dress. The clan leaders are lucky to have your beauty among them. Those who don't know that are idiots.” He turned then, as if seeing Luna and Dala for the first time, and gave another bow. “And Ambassador Luna, you and your daughter honor us with your beauty as well. It has been a long year, having to wait to be in your presence again.”  
  
Clarke could see Luna fighting with herself, trying to keep the curl of her lips from growing.  
  
“It is nice to see you again as well, Danias,” she replied. He winked at her, and as he did Daniel rolled his eyes.  
  
“One of these days you are going to try to woo a woman, and instead of falling for your sweet talk she is going to cut out your tongue,” he warned the other man. “And when it happens, I might have to name her the next leader of our clan to reward her.” Clarke bit back a laugh as Danias lifted his chin in mock offense. “You are wrong,” he declared. “Women love me and my wooing.” Luna let out what sounded like a snort, Dala raised her eyebrows, unimpressed, and Clarke just tried not to grin. Daniel shook his head and then turned away from his warrior, apparently done with the man's antics for the moment. Looking at the blonde, he smiled softly.  
  
“Well done, Clarke,” he told her, reaching out and gently squeezing the arm not wrapped around Thom. “You did your people proud today.”  
  
“Thank you, Grandfather,” she replied, returning his smile. At that moment Thom shifted, his arms wrapping tighter around her neck as he nuzzled into her. Daniel noticed the movement and lightly patted the boy's back.  
  
“And who's this?” he wanted to know, voice suddenly quiet, as though he didn't want to disturb the sleeping boy. Clarke glanced down and her smile softened. “This is Thom,” she just answered, her free hand moving to rub little circles along his back.  
  
“Well I think Thom has the right idea,” Daniel said. “It's time for sleep.” Eyes flickering back between the other two leaders, he added, “I will see you tomorrow morning. Let us all hope the next council meeting doesn't end like today's.” Clarke and Luna both nodded, and then Daniel was heading for the door, his warrior following him after giving the three of them one final wink.  
  
“He is right,” Luna decided, glancing out towards the balcony and taking a look at the pitch black outside. “It's late; we should be going.” Dala agreed a little too quickly, shooting another side-long look at Clarke.  
  
“Goodnight,” the queen just said. “I'll see you in the morning.”  
  
“Goodnight,” Luna replied, giving her a smile, “Sleep well.” She turned, looking over to where her Second still was, and called, “Shein.” Shayne quickly looked up and then made her way back to her leader's side, Reese and now Aden following along behind her, the boy having joined them at some point while the leaders talked. The three Boat People gave the queen one final nod and then they too were leaving and Clarke watched them go.  
  
“Okay, is it just me or was that kind of awkward?” Clarke heard, and turned to see Raven and Bellamy watching her, the only two members of Skaikru who'd stuck around. They walked towards her and Taigon moved with them, giving Clarke a knowing look as they approached. Raven was still glancing back and forth between the disappearing Floukru and the blonde, Bellamy was too busy grinning at the little boy sleeping against her to notice anything else, and Taigon was smirking.  
  
“So you have met Dala,” the healer stated, the humor in his tone obvious. “What did you think?”  
  
“She seems nice,” Clarke replied with a little shrug, carefully keeping her expression blank, but Taigon could clearly see right through it. “She is,” he said, giving a quick nod, “Though I'm not sure how much she likes you at the moment.”  
  
“Surprise surprise, a bunch of these people don't like Clarke,” Raven reminded them, one hand going to her hip as she rolled her eyes. His amusement only grew, and the queen could see the mischief in his eyes dancing as he told her, “You are right, but I believe Dala's reasons for disliking her are different from the other's.” Raven shot him a curious look, but before he could say anymore a voice behind him cut him off.  
  
“It does not matter whether or not people like Clarke, it only matters that they respect her,” Lexa informed them, stepping up from behind her brother. As she passed him, she shot him a warning look, so quickly that Raven and Bellamy couldn't be sure they even saw it. “Dala is no different.”  
  
“Of course,” Taigon agreed, nodding solemnly and trying to fight back his smirk. “If you say so, Commander.”  
  
Choosing not to give her brother any more attention, Lexa looked at Thom and her expression softened. She reached out, brushing a strand of Clarke's hair from his cheek, and the queen followed the movement, heart fluttering in her chest at the tenderness. Looking past their group, she saw the rest of her people not far away, Callie and Nygel talking with Shet and Jojesh now standing with them. Her warrior was clearly still watching her, because almost as soon as she looked over he was moving towards her, the other two following behind him and Shet shooting her a grin before making his way over to Indra.  
  
“Can you guys take him back to camp?” she asked, carefully transferring Thom over to Callie as soon as she was close enough. She smiled down at the little boy as he remained asleep, now tucking himself against the other woman. “I think it's time for him to get to bed.”  
  
“Of course Clarke,” Callie agreed, fingers brushing lightly through the boy's hair. She looked over at Reese and tilted her head towards her. “Come on Reese, time to go.”  
  
Reese scowled, crossing her arms over her chest before she shot a look at Clarke.  
  
“How come you're not coming?” she demanded. “Why can't I stay with you?”  
  
“Yeah Clarke,” Octavia teased, she and Lincoln moving up behind their queen. Her smirk grew, quirking an eyebrow at the blonde. “Why can't she stay with you?” Raven's lips curled up to mirror her's, Taigon grinned, and even Bellamy had to fight to hold back a grin. Clarke shot all of them a look, before looking back at Reese while Lexa's expression remained stoic.  
  
“Heda and I still have some things we need to go over tonight,” she told her, ignoring the little scoffs she heard from her friends. “I'll see you in the morning though, okay?” Reese sighed, clearly not liking the answer, and Lexa added, “Go get some sleep, Reese: you will need to be rested so that we can continue training tomorrow.” That at least managed to cause the girl to perk up, before she looked over again at the blonde.  
  
“Can you train with us tomorrow, Clarke?” she wanted to know, and the queen nodded, telling her, “I should be able to, yep.” Reese grinned, entirely appeased, and Lexa held back her own grin. Instead she looked to Aden, giving him a nod. “Aden, I will see you at the training grounds in the morning. Do not be late.”  
  
“Sha Heda,” he answered immediately, giving a deep bow of his head. Nygel looked from him to Reese to Thom, and then took a few steps forward, gesturing for them all to follow her. “Come on,” she just said, “Thom's not the only one that wants to be in bed.” Callie and the two kids fell right into step behind her, Aden fully aware he'd just been dismissed, but Jojesh held back, glancing at his queen.  
  
“Go, Jojesh,” she told him, having to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “I don't need a guard when I'm here.” He seemed to debate for a second, glancing over to the Commander who simply raised her eyebrows at him, and then looked back to his queen and nodded. Without a word he followed the others, leaving the room.  
  
“Alright, well I guess that's our cue too,” Raven stated, leaning back. She threw Clarke a wink as she turned around, calling over her shoulder, “You two crazy kids have fun!” Octavia couldn't quite hold back her laugh, the sound compressed but audible, and then gave the blonde a wave that looked more like a salute and turned to leave as well. Lincoln and Bellamy both left with nothing more than a nod to one or both of them.  
  
“I like her,” Taigon stated with a grin, referring to Raven as she slipped out of the room. Smirking at his sister, he said, “It is refreshing to find someone else who does not cower before you.”  
  
Lexa scowled and Clarke shook her head, lips curling up into a smile.  
  
“Yeah, no, Raven's never really been one to cower,” she said, thinking about her friend. “As long as I've known her, at least. I've never seen her let anything stop her. Octavia either. They're both too stubborn.” At that Lexa's expression shifted, the corners of her mouth tugging up slightly.  
  
“Must be a Sky Person trait,” she mused quietly, tone teasing, and Clarke lifted her chin, trying to appear offended but not quite making it as she fought against another smile.  
  
“I don't know what you're talking about,” she stated. To her surprise, it wasn't Lexa who replied, but Taigon, the healer letting out a little laugh before he said, “No, of course you don't.” She shot him a playful glare and at it he tilted his head, as though conceding a fight. “I believe I should be leaving as well,” he just said, allowing the subject to drop. Glancing around the room, he added, “It would appear tonight's ceremony has come to an end.”  
  
Indra and Shet still stood in the room, and Ryder stood just inside the doorway, but everyone else had finally left. Realizing she could now relax a little, Clarke let out a relieved sigh. Lexa heard it, eyes flickering over at the queen, and one corner of her mouth tugged up.  
  
“Come on,” she said quietly to Clarke, shifting towards her without actually taking her hand or bumping her shoulder. “Let's go relax before we must face them all again tomorrow.” Clarke flashed her a quick smile, agreeing, and before the three turned to leave the room, Lexa looked over at Indra, meeting her eyes and giving her a simple nod goodnight. The woman returned the nod and then the three left the room, Commander and queen keeping their posture straight in case anyone still roamed the halls outside and the healer walking calmly beside them. They split up shortly after leaving with a few murmured “goodnight”s, Taigon heading to the elevator and Lexa leading the way down the hallway to her room, Clarke staying in step with her the whole way.  
  
The moment they were inside Lexa's room with the door shut behind them, their titles seemed to just melt away. Clarke's posture shifted, spine no longer uncomfortably straight, and Lexa's shoulders relaxed, the weight of thirteen clans removed from them for the moment. She looked over at the blonde, smiling almost shyly, and reached out, fingers linking through the other girl's. She felt Clarke give her hand a squeeze, and then the queen shifted, leaning against her and dropping her head lightly to her uninjured shoulder. That at least was a weight she was always happy to bare.  
  
“Day one, done,” Clarke muttered, eyes closing for just a second as she grinned. “And hey, it could have gone worse.” Lexa let out a light laugh, turning and pressing a soft kiss to the top of the queen's head.  
  
“Yes,” she agreed, before taking a step forward and pulling the blonde behind her, “It could have.” She led Clarke over to her desk, gesturing for the other girl to sit. She did so, and Lexa moved behind her, fingers gently moving to blonde hair as she slowly and carefully worked to remove her braids. Looking into the mirror as she worked, she met blue eyes still surrounded by white paint, and nodded to one of the cloths folded neatly on the desk. “If you would like to take your face paint off, go ahead.” Clarke shot her a thankful smile and then grabbed the cloth, quickly working the white from around her eyes.  
  
“So what do you think?” she asked while she worked at the paint and Lexa worked at her hair. “Are we out of the woods?” She caught Lexa's confused look in the mirror, trying not to focus on how cute it was, and then clarified, “Do you think the other clans have accepted me and Skaikru?”  
  
Now understanding, Lexa's shoulders lifted in a small shrug.  
  
“I doubt it,” she answered honestly, eyes falling down on gold hair as her fingers gently worked it out of its braids. “But whether they are happy about it or not, Skaikru is officially the thirteenth clan, and you are officially queen. They will fight it in little ways I'm sure, but other than choosing to start a war there is nothing they can do.”  
  
Clarke frowned, her grip tightening around the cloth as she pulled it away, the last traces of the paint now gone. “Do you think any of them would do that?” she wondered, looking worriedly at Lexa in the mirror. “They don't like me, okay, and they hate Skaikru, but do you think any of them hate us so much they'd decide to start a war?”  
  
“Yes,” Lexa replied, her tone surprisingly light for the conversation. Glancing up, she met Clarke's eyes again, reading the worry in them. “There are some who never wanted the coalition formed in the first place,” she informed her. “They only agreed to it once they saw they were greatly outnumbered. If these clans think they have a chance to get out of the coalition and attack a threat like Skaikru, they may take it.”  
  
“Let me guess, Asher?” the queen asked, and the Commander nodded. “He is the first,” she agreed. “Hektar is also a danger. Sankru, Azgeda and Boudalan were the last three clans to agree to join the coalition. Luckily I no longer need to worry about Azgeda.” She shot Clarke a small smile, one the queen returned, and then continued. “Cela is also one I will be watching closely; Yujleda is not comprised of warriors quite like the other two, but their people believe in their freedom, and do not like having to follow my laws. Cela is their leader in title, but all of their people have a say in what happens in their villages.”  
  
“So if there was a war, we'd have the better numbers,” Clarke stated, the words almost a question. Lexa nodded. “Yes, though that does not mean it would be easy. Everyone in the Rock Line Clan is a warrior: children start learning the art of fighting almost as soon as they can walk. They are not like Trikru, where only those of us who want to fight learn. The Desert People do not have quite as many warriors, but those they do have are still fierce and deadly accurate with their weapons. Many of the clans we would have on our side are more peaceful; Luna's people spend more time fishing than they do fighting, the Trishana are known for their peaceful ways, and the Delphi Clan is small compared to many others. Other leaders I cannot say which side they would choose. Anoq respects me, respects the coalition, but his people are not the most trusting and it is clear he does not like the Skaikru. Valia, Esta and Tey...” She shrugged. “I cannot say what they would do.” She took a step back, eyeing Clarke's hair to see if there were any braids she had missed, and then looked up as the queen handed her the cloth.  
  
“So if a war breaks out, that's it,” she said quietly, brow pulling down as Lexa accepted the cloth. “Not only will the coalition completely come apart, but thousands will die instead of hundreds.”  
  
“If war breaks out, yes,” the Commander agreed softly, gripping the cloth tightly as she stared in front of her, her mind showing her images of what that would look like. She'd been in enough battles to know exactly how bloody it would be. “Which is why I must be careful. I cannot let that happen.”  
  
“We _won't_ let that happen, Lexa,” Clarke corrected her, eyes flashing in the mirror, the certainty and passion the brunette saw in them causing her breath to nearly catch. “We won't. We can do this.” Despite knowing what they were talking about was easier said than done, the Commander found herself smiling, if only slightly, at the queen. “Sha,” she agreed, giving a little nod. “We can.” She caught the smile Clarke gave her and then began to wipe the kohl from around her eyes, shedding the last remnants of the Commander away.  
  
“Who did your hair?” she asked, guiding the cloth carefully over an eyelid. They'd had enough talk about war and the other clan leaders, she decided it was time to switch topics. “It was beautifully done.”  
  
“Niylah, mostly,” Clarke answered, leaning back in her chair. “Kila helpd a little, but Niylah did most of it.”  
  
“She is very talented,” Lexa said, scrubbing lightly at the last bit of black she could see stubbornly clinging to the underside of an eyebrow, and then tossed the cloth on the desk once it was gone. Carefully she removed her forehead piece, handling it gently as she set it in its proper place on her desk until she had to put it back on in the morning. As she worked, offhandedly she added, “I have up to three people who work on my hair at times, and they are the only ones I've ever seen create such intricate work.”  
  
She heard a noise escape Clarke, far too much like a scoff for her not to notice, and she frowned. Looking back at the blonde, she caught the queen raising an eyebrow.  
  
“You have _three_ people do your hair for you?” she asked, clearly surprised by the number, and Lexa lifted her chin. “They do not often all work on it at once, but sometimes ceremonies require a very specific and detailed look, Clarke.” The queen just continued to give her a look, her lips curling up into a smirk before she said, “Yeah okay but... _three_?” Lexa's chin tilted higher, about to step away, before Clarke's hand shot out and caught hers. The Commander looked down her nose, expression carefully controlled, as the blonde's smirk melted into a little smile.  
  
“I'm sorry Lexa, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just kind of funny to think that you can go from fighting someone as big as Asher to having to sit still as three people do your hair.” Lexa felt her expression crack and then all but fall away, unable to stop the way the corner of her mouth tugged up in a little smile. “It is a little funny, I suppose,” she admitted, and when Clarke's smile grew she felt her own mirror it, unable to do anything but fall into the way her heart beat rapidly in her chest whenever the other girl looked at her like that.  
  
“Mm,” Clarke agreed, and then she stood up, letting her other hand catch Lexa's so that she could guide her across the room. As they moved, her focus slipped down, unable to miss the way the dress glided against Lexa's legs and clung so wonderfully to her torso. “You look beautiful,” she told her, still working to memorize every detail. Once again smirking, she looked up, meeting green already staring at her, and added, “However many people it took to get you ready for tonight, you look amazing.”  
  
“You are beautiful as well, Clarke,” Lexa murmured, unable to really get how much she truly meant it into the words. In the white dress with her golden hair now tumbling over her shoulders, Lexa was fairly sure she had never in her life seen anything quite as breath-taking as the queen. The more she looked on the other girl, the more in awe she became, and when Clarke stopped them just at the end of her bed, she found herself doing something she hadn't done before but that a part of her had been wanting to do ever since the moment she saw the blonde walk through the door to the council room.  
  
Clarke's eyes widened, surprised as Lexa slowly lowered herself before her. She still held her hands, almost immediately pulling her back up, but the way Lexa looked at her, her head tilted back so she never had to take her eyes from the blonde's face, stopped her. Her breath caught, brow furrowing slightly as her lips parted, something about the energy now flowing between them making it hard to breathe. The next thing she knew Lexa was on her knees in front of her, staring up at the blonde as though in awe of what she was seeing.  
  
“I am yours, Clarke,” she whispered, the emotion in her voice flying straight to the other girl's chest. “In a way that I am no one else's, I am yours. I have to be many things, but that's all I want to be.” Clarke's mouth opened and then shut again, unable to get any words out, and Lexa simply smiled up at her. Letting go of one of Clarke's hands, she leaned forward, pressing her forehead lightly against the other girl's thigh. With the way the queen's dress was cut, it was far too tempting to remain still, and a moment later her lips began to press softly along the exposed skin just above her knee. She heard Clarke take in a sharp breath, and then the grip still holding one hand tightened, and she felt the blonde pulling her back to her feet.  
  
“You're mine,” the queen murmured, both hands moving up to cup the brunette's cheeks. She pressed their foreheads together, blue eyes scanning green, and then smiled softly. “And I'm yours.” Lexa returned the smile, her expression soft, and Clarke leaned forward, capturing her lips against her own. The Commander's lips tingled at the touch and then she fell into it, eyes closing as her arms moved to encircle the queen's waist. Clarke deepened the kiss, doing everything in her power to all but drink the other girl in, and began to lead them over to the side of the bed. Still pressed as closely together as possible with their eyes closed, she pulled them down, Lexa's weight on top of her as they fell against the soft furs.  
  
So lost in the moment and the taste of the other girl's lips, neither of them had remembered the new mark Clarke now bore proudly on her back, and she couldn't stop the slight hiss as the burn pressed against the furs, her weight and Lexa's causing the pain she'd been feeling all night to flare up. Immediately Lexa pulled back, guilt and concern tugging at her expression.  
  
“Clarke,” she nearly gasped between her surprise and the lack of air in her lungs. “I'm sorry. I should have remembered, I shouldn't have-”  
  
“It's okay, Lexa,” the blonde assured her, pushing herself up slightly so that the burn was no longer in contact with the bed. “It's my fault, I'm the one who pulled you down. It's fine.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Lexa wanted to know, the worry still clear in both her eyes and voice. “I can go get Taigon if it is hurting too much.” Clarke gave her a look, grinning a little as she shook her head. “As much as I like your brother, I really don't want him here right now, Lexa. Really, I'm okay.” Despite her attempt to assure the other girl, Lexa didn't look anymore convinced. She looked at her shoulder, unable to see the burn, and then simply said, “Turn over.” Clarke raised her eyebrows, trying to decide if it was worth trying to argue with the Commander, and then let out a little sigh, shaking her head. “Get up,” she told Lexa, and the brunette quickly did, lifting herself off of the blonde's lap and standing back up. Rather than immediately do as the other girl requested, Clarke stood too, turning and then giving Lexa a look over her shoulder.  
  
“Help me out of this thing,” she said, gesturing awkwardly to the few buckles on the back that held the dress so securely to her, and quickly Lexa did as she was told, undoing each buckle and then watching as the white dress fell away from her love, pooling around the other girl's feet. She drank in the sight of pale skin, momentarily forgetting about her concern over Clarke's back, and then forced herself to look back up as the blonde turned back around, kicking the slippers off of her feet as she did. Their eyes meeting, the queen took the single step forward needed, and then began to carefully pull the straps from each of the buckles along Lexa's front, the dress immediately loosening as each gave way. The moment she finished, Clarke's hands moved up to the straps on her shoulders, fingers slipping beneath them and guiding them down over her arms, careful of the wound from her fight earlier that day. The dress fell off of Lexa as easily as the queen's had fallen off of her, and the Commander stepped out of it as it fell to the floor, her slippers left behind with it.  
  
“Okay,” Clarke said with a little nod, shooting Lexa a sly smile. “Now I'll turn over.” The brunette returned her smile, part of her wanting to roll her eyes and the other part just wanting to laugh, and then she watched as the blonde moved back to the bed, climbing on top of it and sinking against it, her stomach pressing into the furs. Lexa heard her let out a content sigh, even as she reached out and grabbed a pillow. Her arms crossed on top of it and then her head fell down, turned towards the Commander. She saw an eyebrow tilt up, and then Clarke asked, “Well? I thought you wanted to take a look at my back? Get up here, Commander.” Again Lexa could have laughed, but instead she simply moved, following Clarke to the bed and then carefully settling herself over her love, straddling the blonde's hips. Clarke's eyes fell closed the moment she felt Lexa above her, but Lexa's fell directly to the new mark just above the breast band she still wore. She reached forward, carefully brushing blonde hair away from it, and studied this new design along her love's skin.  
  
The mark was small, no larger than the palm of her hand, the symbol of the coalition forever etched into pale skin through scar tissue. The area around the mark itself had turned pink, almost red, and Lexa knew it must be hurting more than the blonde let on. Still, Clarke had done well when she received the brand, and despite her worry for her the Commander couldn't help but be proud of her love.  
  
“Are you sure you are alright?” she asked, needing to know if there was anything she could do to help ease the blonde's discomfort. Clarke just nodded, the movement minimal with her head still resting on her arms, and didn't even open her eyes. Lexa felt herself smile, and then leaned forward, pressing her lips gently against the back of her neck. She heard Clarke hum beneath her, the touch clearly welcome.  
  
“I love you,” she murmured against pale skin. She trailed down and to the side, following the slope of one shoulder, lightly pushing the other girl's hair out of her way as she moved. “You know that, right?”  
  
“I do,” Clarke said, and then her head turned further to the side, eyes opening so she could look at the one person who made her feel as though she might actually be able to do anything. “You know I love you too, right?” Lexa gave her a small smile, lips barely curling up. “Sha Klark,” she assured her, lips trailing up. When they hovered directly over Clarke's, she added, “I do.” The queen was the one to close the last few centimeters of space between them, and it was Lexa's turn to let out a soft hum, falling so effortlessly into their kiss that at one point it would have scared her. Now she accepted it, knowing that with Clarke she needed no walls, needed nothing other than to feel her love's touch against her.  
  
They remained that way for a long time, the two leaders losing themselves completely against the only other person they could ever entirely let their walls down around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Always love to get your thoughts. See you again soon with the next chapter!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Yu gada in ain tombom" - "You have my heart"  
> "Wonhef" - "Headman" (Title for the leader of the Shallow Valley Clan - my creation)  
> Anthem Translations listed in the chapter


	11. Chapter 10

Rolling over, Clarke took in a sharp breath, the sudden burn from the new mark along her shoulder blade enough to pull her out of her dreams and back into consciousness as it brushed against the mattress. Rather than let it fully wake her, she clenched her eyes shut tighter, as though fighting to make herself go back to sleep. She kept rolling, expecting to press up against another body, and only opened her eyes when she realized the space beside her was empty. Bright light had already begun to stream through the windows, making her blink a few times as she tried to make her sleep-addled brain wake up, something that only got harder to do as she began pushing herself up. The sheet covering her fell away, leaving her in only her breast band, and her skin prickled, as though yearning to lie back down and pull the cover back over her. It was by no means cool, the room even feeling rather humid and almost stuffy, but the heat just seemed to make her want to sleep more. She fought against the desire, forcing herself to remain up as she began looking around the room, in search for the person who should have still been in bed with her. She found Lexa standing in front of the open door of her closet, and Clarke all but glared at her.  
  
“What are you doing, Lexa?” she wanted to know, fighting against a yawn. “Why aren't you in bed?” She lost the fight then, her jaw cracking as the yawn forced its way out of her, and she noticed Lexa's little smirk as she looked over her shoulder at her. She only glared more at the other girl, eyes traveling down. “And why are you wearing pants?”  
  
Lexa turned to her, bottom half already clad in dark pants and Clarke thought about how unfair it was that she'd already covered up those beautifully long legs. At the very least the Commander had yet to put a shirt on, instead simply carrying one with her, and the queen's eyes raked over the bare skin of her abdomen and up over her chest, still covered by her own breast band. Lexa's smirk grew as she watched Clarke's eyes skim over her, the response more clear in her eyes than along her lips.  
  
“I am getting dressed, Clarke,” she answered simply, a slight teasing to her tone. “It is usually what one does before going out into the city.” She took a few steps towards the bed, happily taking in the sight of Clarke's own bare form, her skin so wonderfully pale, and felt her lips tingle. She wanted to kiss the other girl, to start at her mouth and then trail down along the side of her neck and along her shoulder, but stopped herself before she could quite make it to the bed. She did not doubt that one kiss like that would only lead to another, and as much as she would have loved to spend the morning exploring the other girl's body, there were other things they needed to do before the council meeting. With the way Clarke looked at her however, she could tell the blonde would have been just as happy to forget everything else beyond pulling her back onto the mattress.  
  
“Did you have to get dressed so quickly?” the queen wanted to know, eyes falling longingly down to Lexa's legs. “Now I have to wait until tonight to see them again.” Lexa let out a light laugh, catching the way the blonde's lips curled up at the sound. “That is only a few hours away, Clarke, and you will be able to see them again,” she assured her. “Right now however we should be getting ready; we promised Reese we would go train with her, and you know she's probably already waiting.”  
  
Clarke let out a loud sigh, shoulders drooping a little, and couldn't quite hide her wince as the tight skin along the burn pulled, Lexa seeing it and frowning. “Though if your shoulder is hurting, perhaps you shouldn't train with us this morning,” she added, taking another few steps towards the bed. “Reese will understand.”  
  
The queen was shaking her head before she even finished.  
  
“No, I'm fine Lexa,” she assured her, pushing herself closer to the edge of the bed. She saw the Commander's eyebrow tick, clearly not believing her, and raised her own in response. “Really: I'm fine, it's just a little sore. Nothing I can't handle.” When Lexa still appeared unconvinced, the queen decided to turn the tables on her. “What about you?” she asked, nodding towards the brunette's shoulder. “How are you feeling?” Even with the little bit of space between them, Clarke could tell there was more bruising around the edges of the scraped skin on her shoulder than had been evident the night before, but Lexa barely even shrugged.  
  
“Fine,” she simply answered, dismissing the injury. Knowing nothing she could say would dissuade Clarke from training, she stepped back, lifting the shirt as though to put it on, but stopped as the queen gave her another look, asking, “What are you doing?” She looked between the shirt and the queen, frowning. “I told you Clarke, I'm getting dressed.”  
  
“Not yet you're not,” the blonde told her, one corner of her mouth curling up at Lexa's confusion. She met uncertain green eyes and simply lifted an eyebrow higher. “Where's my kiss?”  
  
All traces of confusion wiped away in an instant, and Lexa found herself almost grinning. “Am I not allowed to kiss you after I put my shirt on?” she teased, and Clarke's head tilted to the side. “Oh no, you're still allowed to kiss me, but I want one before you're covered up too. You've already hidden those legs from me, at least give me this.” Lexa appeared to be thinking about it, and then nodded solemnly. “Yes Clarke,” she finally agreed, and closed the distance between herself and the bed. Leaning over, she reached out with one hand, the other still holding her shirt, and gently cupped the blonde's cheek as her lips fell into place with Clarke's.  
  
It was Lexa's intention to keep the kiss short, nothing more than a soft good-morning, but Clarke had other plans. In an instant her hands were on the Commander's waist, and Lexa let out a laugh as she felt herself pulled back into bed, her weight first falling against the blonde before the other girl spun them around, pressing her lightly against the mattress.  
  
“Clarke,” she tried to scold but couldn't keep the laugh from her voice or her lips from curling up. The queen now draped over her, blonde locks falling over her shoulders and tickling Lexa's cheeks, and she reached up, gently pushing the cascades of hair behind the other girl's ears. “Yes Lexa?” Clarke asked innocently, lowering herself so she all but pinned the Commander to the bed. “We are supposed to be getting ready,” she reminded her, and green eyes watched as a smirk tugged at pink lips.  
  
“We will get ready,” the queen promised, a finger tracing lightly along Lexa's collarbone, not missing the way the brunette shivered beneath her touch. “In a minute.” Before Lexa could try to argue she closed the space between them, a fire burning against her lips that stole the other girl's breath away as soon as they touched. Any resistance Lexa had melted away almost immediately, and Clarke felt her hands rest against her sides, grip light but strong along her bare skin. Her own hands moved up to Lexa's face, one pressing lightly against her cheek while the other reached behind her head to get tangled in messy brown curls. The usual braids were still in place but far looser than normal, a night of sleep and Clarke's fingers pulling them from their tight hold. They kissed and as they did they held each other close, skin sinking against skin, the muggy heat around them nothing compared to the fire that burned between them.  
  
“Mm,” Lexa murmured when Clarke's lips finally pulled away from her own, not bothering to open her eyes after they'd fallen closed. She knew the queen was likely studying the small smile along her lips, and didn't bother to try to hold it back. “If I could, I would fall back asleep so I could get another greeting like that when I wake back up.” She heard Clarke let out a light laugh, and only then did she allow an eye to crack open, looking up to find the blonde grinning down at her.  
  
“Mm, I wish we could,” the queen agreed, leaning down to nuzzle her nose lightly against the Commander's jaw. She let out a sigh then, her chest pressing further against Lexa's at the exhale, and dropped a quick kiss to her chin. “But unfortunately you're right, we really do need to be getting up. Reese might kill us if we try to ditch training.” Lexa nodded but couldn't help the ache in her chest when she felt Clarke pull away, not taking her eyes off of her as the blonde finally pushed herself over the edge of the bed. She let her gaze wash over the beautiful sight before her of pale skin, almost entirely on display but for the undergarments she wore, and knew she was caught staring when Clarke looked back over her shoulder. The queen did nothing but grin, giving a little shake of her head, and made her way over to the white dress still lying in a pool on the floor.  
  
“I think maybe I need some clothes in here,” she called over her shoulder, bending over to pick up the dress, and when she looked back she found Lexa still on the bed, very clearly appreciating the view. She met the other girl's gaze, making note of the slightest shade of pink that had graced the Commander's features at being caught staring, and lifted an eyebrow. “Now I get to make the walk of shame through Polis.”  
  
Lexa frowned, attention finally pulled away from Clarke's body at her words, and tilted her head. “What is the walk of shame?” she asked, standing up and finally pulling her shirt over her head as she did so. She caught the wistful look in blue eyes as the fabric fell over her stomach, and then stepped forward to help as the queen began to pull the dress back over her figure.  
  
“It's a term we used on the Ark,” Clarke answered, carefully tugging the dress up over her hips and then up to her chest. She turned and Lexa was already behind her, reaching out to help secure the buckles in place without needing to be asked. “It refers to the walk back to your own home after spending a night with someone. When people see you in the same clothes you were wearing the day before early in the morning, it's a sign that you slept with someone that night. They just call it the walk of shame because everyone knows what you did.”  
  
“There is nothing shameful about spending the night with someone,” Lexa said, brow furrowed as she looked over Clarke's shoulder, meeting the blonde's eye as she turned slightly towards her. “As long as all of those involved are happy, it should not matter to anyone else what they do.”  
  
Clarke flashed her a smile, turning around as soon as she felt the final buckle fall in place, and grabbed one of Lexa's hands, bringing it up to her lips. Placing a light kiss along her knuckles, she nodded. “You're right,” she agreed, still smiling up at her love. “There isn't anything shameful at all about it. It's just one of those sayings people still use, sometimes.” Lexa shook her head, but felt her lips begin to tug up once again. “Sky People,” she murmured, pressing herself a little closer to the blonde. “Even as the thirteenth clan, I'm not sure I will ever entirely understand your ways.”  
  
“Maybe not,” Clarke agreed before kissing Lexa's cheek, amusement flashing in her eyes as she did so. “But since I'm not a Sky Person anymore, I guess that's not much of a problem.”  
  
“No,” Lexa said, leaning closer so that their foreheads were almost touching but not quite. “You are my queen.” She closed the space between them, leaving another long kiss against Clarke's lips, and she felt the blonde's grip on her hand tighten. The kiss ended and she pulled back just far enough so that she could dart forward and leave another quick peck against her mouth, before telling her, “But if you do not wish to walk through Polis in your dress, there are clothes picked out for you in your room. Or if you would like, you may wear some of mine.”  
  
“Oh yeah, my room,” Clarke repeated, a hint of surprise in her voice. “I'd actually kind of forgotten about that. Why don't we stop there first? I'd like to see what's in there.” Lexa nodded once, pressing another quick kiss to her love's lips, and then squeezed Clarke's fingers lightly before leading them to the door.  
  
As soon as they were in the hallway their hands dropped to the side, each adopting the air they knew they needed to carry whenever in public. Though the hall was empty at the moment, both knew it was all too likely someone could pass by them at any time. Even though their relationship was no secret, they knew better than to flaunt it, aware drawing unnecessary attention could simply cause more problems they would have to deal with. The only people they passed as they moved from one floor to another were guards and others who seemed to work in the tower, Clarke noticing the way each of them looked at first Lexa in awe and then herself with uncertainty. A couple of them murmured quiet good mornings to their Commander and the queen, greetings Lexa returned with a nod and sometimes even a slight smile, clearly at ease in her tower among these workers. Clarke didn't recognize anyone, until they were about half way down her own hall, and one of the doors they were about to pass opened.  
  
“Commander, Clarke,” Luna greeted, looking up at them as she closed the door behind her. The queen watched her do a quick once over of the two of them, very clearly noticing the dress she still wore if the way the corners of her lips lifted were any indication. “Good morning.”  
  
“Good morning,” Lexa replied with a slight tilt of her head, her tone immediately slipping into the formality she automatically used when she and Clarke weren't alone. The blonde gave her a smile, along with her own, “Morning.” Luna returned the Commander's little nod before her lips curled up further, not even trying to hide her grin.  
  
“You are very dressed up, Queen Clarke,” she teased, the humor in her tone obvious. “Is there more to this morning's council meeting than I know?” With the way the muscles of Lexa's jaw shifted, the blonde knew she was trying not to smile either, and shot her a brief look out the corner of her eye, one that seemed to make it even harder for the Commander to keep a straight face.  
  
“No, nothing you don't know about, Ambassador Luna,” she assured the older woman, managing to maintain control of her own expression. “In fact I was just going to get ready for it now. Excuse me.”  
  
“Of course,” Luna agreed, taking an unnecessary step away. “I need to go check on my people anyway. I will see you both shortly.” They both nodded to her and all continued on their way, but as Luna and Lexa walked by each other they made eye contact, and the Commander's control slipped just enough to nearly make the Floukru leader laugh.  
  
“That,” Clarke just said when they were standing outside the door to her room and Luna was no longer in earshot. She gave Lexa a look, one eyebrow cocking up. “That is the walk of shame.”  
  
“I see what you mean now,” Lexa replied solemnly, giving Clarke what to anyone else would appear to be a very serious nod, but the queen could see the amusement flashing at her in bright eyes. “I will make sure to add some clothes to my closet for you.”  
  
“Thank you,” the queen replied, maintaining her own pretend seriousness for a moment longer. Reaching out, she turned the handle to the door, leading the way in as she pushed it open. “Now let's see what you already picked out for me.”

***

Abby carefully pulled at the end of her bandage, slowly unwrapping it from around her arm. Bright pink appeared first, the color bleeding into a deeper red as more of the wound was revealed, and as the last of the bandage fell away she found herself staring. Already the brand had begun to blister, the raised skin where the hot iron had pressed directly against her arm even darker than the bright red around it. Lightly, almost without touching it at all, she ran the tip of her finger over the design, gritting her teeth slightly at the pain. She'd covered the wound not long after leaving the ceremony the previous night, and only now was she letting herself study it. This mark, smaller than the palm of her hand, had changed everything, and inside she still felt as though she were reeling from this sudden decision she'd made.  
  
A light knock sounded at her door and she looked up even as it opened, Marcus's head poking into the room.  
  
“I thought you'd be up,” he said, giving her a smile before slipping into the room. She felt herself returning it, before her eyes fell back down to her arm.  
  
“Of course,” she replied, staring at the mark while her mind continued to whirl. “There's still a lot to do before you leave. I still think Bellamy or maybe Raven should go back with you; people tend to listen to them, and you're going to need all the help you can get.”  
  
“The group we've put together will be fine, Abby,” he told her, walking over to the desk along the side of her room and taking a look at the list they'd put together over the past two days. It had the names of everyone they'd brought to Polis with them, broken out into the two groups of those who were going back to Arkadia and those who were staying with her. “Raven's a good person to have with you in case any of the clan leaders want a more in-depth discussion about how our technology can benefit the coalition, and Bellamy I want with you.” He didn't look up from the list but he was no longer really seeing it either, his voice getting a little quieter as he added, “Just because we're the thirteenth clan doesn't mean things'll be easy from now on, and if I'm leaving I need to know you're as safe as you can be. Bellamy'll make sure of that.”  
  
The Chancellor finally looked up from her arm, eyes trailing over to the man standing only a few feet away from her, and felt an entirely too familiar pain flare up in her chest. “Marcus,” she began, but he cut her off as he turned around.  
  
“How's it feeling?” he asked, nodding towards the arm still bent in front of her. Her eyes dropped to it again, before she shrugged. “It's fine,” she answered, making sure there was nothing extra in her voice as she spoke. “I'd leave it covered longer, but I don't think the clan leaders would appreciate it. I assume I'm supposed to wear it proudly, and having it covered probably wouldn't show that to them.”  
  
“Mm,” Marcus muttered in agreement, but his eyes didn't leave the mark. He stepped forward, closing the space between them and reached out, one hand gently holding the back of her arm while his finger ran lightly along the edges of the brand, barely even touching it. Abby felt herself take a sharp breath, less from the slight pain of the movement and more from the way her skin tingled against his touch, and tried to swallow as the back of her throat went dry. The pain in her chest loosened and then almost immediately struck again making it difficult to breathe. “Marcus,” she tried again, her voice much quieter than she meant it to be, and met his eyes as they flickered up at her, momentarily getting lost in soft brown.  
  
“Abby,” he nearly whispered, and the doctor watched as his expression completely opened up, hiding nothing back from her. She tried to take a breath, tried to get her bearings straight but before she could he had leaned forward and his lips were against hers, one hand moving up to gently cup the back of her head, and she was lost. She was lost to anything not his touch, not his taste as she kissed him back, and without thinking about it her arms wound around his neck, pulling him in closer.  
  
Footsteps outside her door caused her to pull back so sharply she nearly bumped into her bed, her chest rising and falling quickly as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Even now with space once again between them she could still feel his mouth on hers, and the monster that had taken up residence in her chest over the past few months both wanted her to do it again and sent a wave of guilt washing through her for allowing it in the first place.  
  
“Marcus, I, I can't,” she all but stammered, desperately trying to regain the control she so often needed to have. “I'm sorry. Right now just, it isn't a good time.” She saw both the disappointment and understanding flash across his face, and her chest just ached more as he gave her a forced smile, the gesture small but genuine.  
  
“Of course,” he told her, reaching forward and doing nothing more than giving her hand a firm squeeze. “I understand, Abby. We have a lot to do. We shouldn't be... distracted.”  
  
She nodded, knowing it was true but not the extent of why she couldn't allow anything to happen between them, not right now. “We shouldn't be,” she agreed, and then gave in a little, “But it isn't just that. I can't... I can't do that to Clarke. I don't want anyone to see us and her to find out. I can't do that to her.” Subconsciously she reached up, absentmindedly playing with the ring that always hung on a chain around her neck, and his eyes dropped to it, understanding pulling at his expression. “So much has happened but... He was still her father. I'm still her mother. I don't want to do anything that might hurt her more than she's already been hurt. More than I've already hurt her.”  
  
“Abby,” he murmured, taking a step forward before he stopped himself. Rethinking whatever he'd been about to do, instead he simply gave her hand another squeeze. “What happened to Jake wasn't your fault.” She let out a breath of air that sounded almost like a humorless laugh, the noise tugging at Marcus's heart at the obvious disbelief in it, and he brought her hand up to his lips, pressing nothing but a simple, easy kiss against it. “You're a wonderful mother, Abby; Clarke's lucky to have you. I know she knows that.” He let their hands drop, finally pulling his from hers, and took a step back, putting a little more distance between them. “Whatever you want,” he told her, flashing her a light smile. “I'm happy to do whatever you want. Just know I'm going to miss you this next week. Very much.”  
  
Almost against her will, Abby felt her lips turn up, returning his smile. “I'll miss you too, Marcus,” she replied, part of her wishing she didn't mean it as much as she did. “It'll be a long week without you.” His smile grew, eyes softening even as he continued backwards, giving her a nod.  
  
“We can do this, Abby,” he assured her, knowing how worried she was about convincing the clan leaders to accept them on her own. She'd never said as much, but he could read it in the corners of her eyes, in the slight tilt of her lips. He didn't worry, not about that; if any of them could do this, it would be her. He'd seen her stand strong under enormous amounts of pressure since even before they crash landed on the ground, and knew she'd be able to get them through this as well. Clarke got her stubborn resilience from somewhere, and he never doubted where. “You'll take care of the clans here, and I'll persuade Arkadia to get on board; it'll all work out.”  
  
His unwavering optimism made her feel a little lighter, a little more sure it really would. She couldn't pinpoint when exactly he'd developed that optimism, but now just as it'd done at various other times during their time on the ground, it made everything seem a little less daunting.  
  
“It will,” she agreed, returning the smile he flashed at her. He held her gaze for another few seconds, and then let out a sigh, reaching beside him and letting his hand fall on the handle of the door. “I'll go see if those coming with me are ready. We'll be leaving as soon as the morning's council meeting is over.” She nodded, trying not to think about the way she felt herself deflate slightly at the thought of him going, either from her room or from Polis. “Sounds good,” she said, holding everything in, and he returned her nod. “Chancellor,” he called lightly by way of good-bye, and the next moment he slipped out of her room, pulling the door closed once again behind him.  
  
Abby let out a long breath, eyes falling shut as her fingers began playing with the smooth metal ring lying against her chest. The guilt washed through her then, guilt she'd felt eating away at her for weeks now, ever since the first moment she truly realized the extent her feelings had developed for the man who had become her best friend since falling to the ground. It was not the first kiss they'd shared, nor did she think it would be the last, and the way that thought made her heart beat a little faster only made the monster sitting in her chest burrow further into her. She knew a large part of her guilt stemmed from the thought of her daughter and what she would think about her mother moving on and beginning to fall in love again, but another part of that guilt came alongside the memories of the man she'd spent so many years loving before this. He'd been her world for so long, meant more to her than she could ever have imagined, and now what she felt for Marcus felt like nothing more than the worse kind of betrayal to him.  
  
“I'm sorry,” she whispered, alone in her room. Her fingers pressed harder against her ring, its edges digging lightly into her chest. “I'm so sorry.”

***

“Oof!”  
  
Thom grunted as he fell back, landing hard on his butt. A dust cloud rose up, dirt covering his pants and scraping along one of his palms as it skidded across the ground, and he winced as he felt at least one small cut open up. His other hand remained curled tightly around his staff, at the very least remembering one of the first rules Heda had taught them: whatever you do, hold on to your weapon.  
  
A shadow covered him and he looked up, finding Clarke crouching down in front of him.  
  
“You okay, Thom?” she wanted to know, flashing him a little smile. Reese stood just behind her, his sparring partner and the one who'd knocked him to the ground, and she seemed equally parts worried and bored.  
  
“I'm okay,” he grumbled, pushing himself up and wincing again as his scraped palm ran over the rough material of his pants. He glared at it, more than a little upset to see the tiny threads of blood running from the cuts, and didn't pull it back when Clarke reached out, gently cupping his wrist and pulling it towards her.  
  
“Hm,” she muttered, eyeing the hand, “Well that's no fun.” Glancing back at Reese, she nodded towards the edge of the training ground. “Reese, can you go grab my canteen please?”  
  
“Sha Ubroukai,” Reese agreed immediately and then ran to do as she'd been asked, and Thom rolled his eyes. He didn't get why she sometimes acted so weird. She was queen now and Ubroukai, but this was still _Clarke_. Just cause everyone else saw her as a great leader didn't mean she wasn't still the Clarke who'd saved them. Sure, she _was_ a great leader and an awesome queen and everything, but she was still their Clarke before anything else.  
  
“It doesn't look too bad,” she informed him, breaking him out of his thoughts as she continued to scrutinize his hand. “Just a few scrapes. We'll wash it off and make sure nothing's in them, but I think you're gonna be okay.”  
  
“It's no big deal,” he muttered, a little embarrassed. Reese got hurt all the time when they were training, and she never let it slow her down. He figured he could do the same thing, but when he pulled away and tried to grab his staff in both hands like he was supposed to, he grit his teeth at the sting the pressure caused along his palm. Clarke gave him a sympathetic smile and then took his hand again, nodding to Reese as she handed her the canteen.  
  
“Thanks Reese,” she said, and then she uncapped it, grabbing the hem of her shirt and pressing it against the bottle's opening. She tipped it until she'd dampened a small section of the fabric, and quickly closed it back up. The next thing Thom knew she was carefully wiping the wet cloth over his palm, getting rid of the dirt and bit of blood that had collected along it. “There, it should be fine now. How's it feel?” He shrugged and made a fist, trying to ignore the fact it still kinda hurt.  
  
“It's better,” he told her and returned the smile she gave him before she stood back up.  
  
“Alright, what do you guys think, back to training?” she wanted to know, and while Reese nodded vigorously, Thom groaned.  
  
“Can't we do something else now?” he wanted to know, his uninjured hand gripping tighter around the staff he still held. “We been doing this for forever and it's hot.” Almost as soon as they'd started he'd begun sweating, and he didn't like it. Now it felt like his shirt was sticking to him, and the heat was starting to make him feel cranky. Plus, he just really hated training, he only did it so he could spend time with Clarke and Heda and because Reese loved it so much.  
  
“No way,” Reese declared, holding her staff out in front of her. “We still have a little more time before we have to stop. Right Clarke?” They both looked up at the blonde, and the queen looked between them, trying to think of an answer that would appease them both.  
  
“Thom, if you're tired why don't you go play with Echo and Sef?” she suggested, nodding over to the edge of the training ground where the other two had been ever since they got there. Jojesh had insisted a warrior go with Clarke when they'd gotten ready to leave that morning, and Echo had volunteered, saying it would be good for both her and the baby to get away from the camp for a little while. Clarke had finally agreed and Thom thought Heda had relaxed a little when she did. He was pretty sure she didn't like Jojesh, though he didn't really know why. Behind them, standing in the same spot he'd been in every time Heda'd brought them here so far, was the Commander's warrior, watching over all of them.  
  
Reese nodded at the suggestion, but the boy just scowled.  
  
“I don't wanna play with them,” he said, holding up the staff again. “I can keep going.” Reese shot him a look out of the side of her eyes, before saying, “Nah, maybe you should go see Sef and Echo. I bet you'd have more fun with them since you don't really like training anyways. Besides, I don't want to hurt you.” Thom glared at her, his pride hurting far more than his hand did, and then turned around quickly. “Fine,” he growled back, “I didn't wanna train with you anyway.”  
  
“Hey Thom,” Clarke called, reaching out and lightly grabbing his arm, getting him to stop. He looked back at her, and she gave him a little smile. “I promise we'll do something you love soon. Maybe some reading? How does that sound?” He wanted to still be mad, and he kind of was, but the idea of reading with Clarke was enough to make him a little less upset at least. “Kay,” he agreed, giving her a tiny smile before he shot another glare at Reese. The queen gave his arm another little squeeze and then he turned around again, making his way over to where Sef was sitting on the ground and playing with a couple of toys, Echo standing just behind him.  
  
“Okay, now can we train like _that_?” he heard Reese ask Clarke as he walked away, and felt himself scowl. He already knew what Reese meant, and when he reached Sef and Echo, he sat down heavily, turning around to watch.  
  
On the other side of the small clearing, far enough away from the space he and Reese had been using so as to keep them out of the way, Heda was training with her student, though the way they fought it really didn't look like training to Thom. Each carried their own staff, but their speed and the power behind their blows was more than he was used to seeing in a training match. Even as the others all stopped to watch for a second, neither of the sparring partners paused in their movements, as though they were oblivious to everything else around them.  
  
Heda glided back, her feet looking like they never left the ground as Aden thrust his staff forward, hers rising up to catch his just in time to block the blow. Before he could pull it away she was pushing it, using her own strength now to drive him back. Rather than let the move throw him off balance, he let his body fall into the push, his staff seeming as though it winded around her own. He yanked and almost had her weapon out of her grasp but she held firm to it, quickly adding more power to the right side of the staff and thrusting it down, aiming for his unprotected forearm. He had to let up against her weapon to dodge the attack, and even so Thom thought her attack might have made a little contact. He stepped back and spun around, the staff moving with him and spinning out, swung almost like a bat that was aiming right for Heda's back. The little boy nearly called out a warning, but before the words could even reach his lips Heda spun into the attack, her staff coming up vertically to stop the weapon mid-swing. In a move so quick Thom thought it must have happened at the exact same moment, her elbow swung out, driving into his stomach and knocking him back. The younger boy winced at the hit, sure it must have hurt, but Aden made no indication he'd felt it other than from the sharp breath he took. He stumbled back a couple of steps, beads of sweat glistening along his forehead, and eyed her, as though looking for a way past her defenses. His eyes flashed up to her shoulder, the wound he knew was there hidden beneath her shirt, and ran forward for a new attack. He did everything he could to focus on what should have been her weaker side, trading a few more blows with the Commander until she suddenly spun, leg striking out and kicking his out from under him. Even as he began to go down one of her hands shot out, grabbing his staff as he fell, and then he was on his back in the dirt with her staff pressing lightly at the underside of his chin, his own staff held loosely in her other hand.  
  
“Not bad,” she stated, giving her student a look. “Very smart, remembering my injury and trying to use it against me.” Her weapon retreated from his neck, and she held out his own staff to him, helping pull him back up to his feet as soon as he'd grabbed it. “But you must remember your opponent's feet: their staff or sword are not the only weapons they carry with them.”  
  
“Sha Heda,” Aden agreed, giving her a nod, taking his staff back from her. She eyed him, noticing the dirt now covering the back of his clothes, and couldn't help but give a slight smirk. She stuck her chin out, gesturing to the ground, and told him, “Since you are already dirty, why don't you spend some time practicing falling?” He knew without having to ask what she'd said wasn't really a suggestion, and nodded again.  
  
“Yes Commander,” he said, and then under her watchful eye he fell back, holding his staff in one hand and turning to the other side, making sure it was his side that bore the impact. As soon as he hit he was rolling away, just as his first teacher had taught him. He pushed himself up to his feet, glancing up at the Commander as he did, and caught her nod. Without hesitating, he repeated the process again, always making sure to keep a hold of his staff.  
  
“How come he hasta practice falling?” Thom asked, face scrunching up in confusion. Clarke and Heda both clearly heard him, but it was Echo behind him who answered.  
  
“Every warrior falls while fighting,” she answered simply, glancing down at he and Sef before looking back out over the training ground. “A warrior who does not know how to do so properly is more likely to gain injuries from that than from their opponent.” Thom still felt a little confused, not sure how someone could fall down the wrong way, but decided not to ask anymore about it. “Oh,” was all he said, noticing the way Clarke grinned and Heda nodded.  
  
“Reese, why don't you practice some falls with Aden?” Clarke suggested, gesturing for her Second to join him, and the younger girl quickly nodded, seeing no reason to argue. She moved a little closer to Aden, grinning as he flashed her an easy smile, and then the two students were practicing their falls together, Aden giving her a few tips when he noticed her land with a little too much weight in the wrong spots. Thom scowled, not liking the way the two worked together. He didn't really know why, but he was pretty sure he didn't really like Aden very much.  
  
While their students practiced falling, Heda walked over to Clarke, giving her that little smile Thom kind of loved. “Would you care for a quick sparring match, Clarke?” she asked, shifting her grip on the staff she still held. He caught the way the blonde grinned back at her, quirking an eyebrow at her. “I think we have time for a quick match,” she agreed, taking a few steps to the side and bending over to pick up her own staff, lifting it a few times as though to get used to the weight of the foreign training tool. Looking up from the weapon to the Commander, her grin grew a little. “Ready?”  
  
“Of course,” Heda replied easily, and Thom's hands fell to his lap, clenching his pant legs tightly in anticipation. He always had mixed feelings about watching his two heroes train together. On the one hand, he was always a little scared, worried that one of them would hurt the other, something he knew they'd both feel bad about. On the other hand though, it was always kind of cool watching them. There was something about the way they fought together that always seemed kind of more like a dance to him than an actual fight, and this fight was no exception.  
  
Clarke moved first, after eyeing Heda for a long moment, her staff whipping out as she ran the few steps forward, closing the distance between them. Heda's staff blocked the attack, the thwack of wood hitting wood ringing out around the clearing, and she stepped to the side, as though to spin around Clarke to her unguarded back. The queen must have known what she was doing though, because before Heda could make her way around her she followed the movement, holding her staff diagonally in front of her and then jabbing the bottom of it up, trying to catch beneath Heda's staff. The Commander knocked the attack away, quickly twisting her staff to the side, and then rushed forward, her weapon and Clarke's crossing and smashing into each other. They seemed to be pushing their weight against each other, using both weight and strength to force the other one down. Even from where he was, Thom could see Clarke's knees beginning to buckle, the Commander's strength greater than her own. Before Heda could force her down, she dropped to one knee just to the side, bringing her staff up and around as the other girl nearly stumbled forward. The Commander turned as she fell forward however, one end of her weapon digging into the dirt and dragging behind her, helping to keep her on her feet. The queen smirked up at her, pushing herself back up on both feet, and she raised her eyebrows in response, as though challenging the smirk. The stillness as they each got their bearings lasted no more than a single second, and then they were at it again, each trying to disarm the other.  
  
Thom watched them, unable to tear his eyes away. A part of him noticed Reese and Aden to the side, the two students having taken a break from falling so they could watch their teachers, but he couldn't make himself focus on them, nor did he want to. All he wanted to do was watch Clarke and Heda, amazed and a little in awe of the way they moved together. Unfortunately for him, it was just about then that Sef decided he'd had enough of just sitting there and playing with his toys. The toddler threw the toy he'd been distracting himself with down, looking around and grinning when he saw the older boy.  
  
“Plei!” he exclaimed, pushing himself to his feet and toddling over to Thom. His little hands reached out, curling into the boy's shirt and tugging against it. “Pleiplei!”  
  
“No Sef,” Thom growled, trying to shrug away from him. “I don't wanna play.”  
  
“Plei!” the toddler insisted, fingers still wrapped in his shirt, and then he began trying to climb in his lap. “Tom, plei!” Thom fell back, trying to get away from the younger boy, but the motion only made him laugh, clearly thinking it was some kind of game.  
  
“I said I don't wanna play!” Thom exclaimed, lightly shoving Sef away. He really didn't think he pushed hard enough to do anything, but Sef fell back, landing on his butt, and then the toddler started crying, tears immediately gathering in his eyes. The guilt washed over Thom in a single wave and he sprang up, glancing down at the toddler, mouth falling open a little as he tried to think of what to do.  
  
The moment Sef started crying, Clarke's attention dropped from Lexa and their sparring match and shifted to the side of the clearing, finding the little boy sitting on the ground and Thom standing over him, hands waving frantically in front of him, the guilt all too clear in his expression. Echo stood behind them, shaking her head, one corner of her mouth curling up into the smallest smile.  
  
“What happened?” she asked, leaving Lexa without even really calling any kind of end to their match and hurrying over to the two boys. She knelt down, grabbing Sef from the ground and hauled him up, holding him to her chest while he threw his arms around her neck, quieting down a little now that he was being held but still whimpering.  
  
“I didn't mean to!” Thom answered, shaking his head and still waving his hands a little in front of him. “Honest! He, he was buggin' me, and climbin' on me and so I just shoved him a little to get him to leave me alone and he fell and started crying!”  
  
“It's true, Ubroukai,” Echo told her, still barely even trying to hold back her grin. “Thom did not mean it. Besides, he's fine.” She nodded to the toddler where he'd buried his head against her neck, quieting down even more. “He just wanted attention.”  
  
Thom looked up at Clarke, eyes big and bright and practically begging her not to be mad, and she glanced down, meeting them. “You have to be careful with him, Thom,” she reminded him, arms hugging Sef tighter against her. “Remember he's a lot smaller than you, so you can't just push him when you want him to leave you alone.”  
  
“I didn't mean to,” he mumbled again as he looked away, nearly on the verge of tears himself. It was bad enough he might have hurt Sef, but Clarke being mad at him was something he couldn't stand. He almost never got in trouble, and now his belly squirmed uncomfortably, his lower lip nearly quivering.  
  
Clarke noticed the slight quiver and the way he couldn't look at her anymore, and immediately felt guilty herself. “Hey,” she murmured, shifting Sef over to one arm, the other reaching out so she could squeeze his shoulder. He looked at her again, and she made sure her expression was calm, open. “It's okay Thom, I know it was an accident. But you still have to be careful with him, okay? He's still just a toddler.” The little boy glanced at Sef, now completely fine and distracting himself with the ends of Clarke's hair, and nodded haltingly.  
  
“Sorry,” he said quietly, looking back at the blonde, and she gave him a little smile before pulling him over and giving him a one-armed hug. “I know,” she told him, giving him an extra squeeze, “It's okay.” Thom sank against her for just a second, feeling a little bit better, and then pulled away. When he did, he noticed Heda stepping up behind Clarke, and caught the little nod she gave him, along with a small smile.  
  
“We should be going,” she simply stated, looking over at the queen. “The council meeting will be starting soon.” Clarke let out a sigh and nodded, before turning and calling over to Reese. As she did, Heda looked back down at Thom, that same small smile still tugging at her lips. Taking a step towards him, she knelt down and then jerked her head towards him. “Come on,” she said, indicating he should climb up. He grinned then, the guilt still tugging at his insides dissipating, and rushed over to her, hastily wrapping his arms around her neck and attaching himself to her back. He felt one of her arms snake around behind her, helping to gently hold him in place, and then his grip tightened a little as she stood up, taking him with her. He really loved it when Heda carried him on her back, and let out a little laugh as she somehow managed to toss him up a little. He caught her smile again as she turned to check on him, and he returned it with a big grin.  
  
“Alright Reese, training's over for today,” he heard Clarke saying, and looked over to see her standing a few feet away, Sef still balanced on her hip and Reese pulling herself up off the ground. Thom could tell she wanted to argue or at least scowl, but she stopped herself just in time and instead just let out a long sigh, clearly disappointed. Beside her Aden rose as well, and Thom had to try not to scowl himself when he noticed the older boy. Heda just gave him a nod as he bowed lightly to her, and then Thom held on as the Commander turned and led the way out of the training ground.  
  
The group walked together until they reached the interior of the city again, and then Clarke watched as Lexa carefully deposited Thom back on his feet, the little boy flashing her another smile before stepping closer to the queen. The two leaders met each other's eyes, sharing a soft smile, and then with just a simple look and nod Lexa broke away from them, her hands folding neatly behind her back as she turned in the direction of her tower, Ryder falling into step behind her and Aden right beside her. Clarke watched them go for just a second, unable to tear her focus off of the proud set of Lexa's shoulders as she passed by her people, and then finally looked away, her gaze falling on Reese and Thom still beside her.  
  
“Come on,” she just said, nodding in the opposite direction, and began leading the way back to their own camp.  
  
“Can I come to the council meeting?” Reese asked, looking up at Clarke with big eyes, but the queen shook her head. “Not today, Reese,” she answered, the reply clearly not the one her Second wanted as her expression fell and she scowled up at the blonde.  
  
“Why not?” she demanded. “Shayne gets to go to them, and she's Luna's Second! I should go too!” Clarke glanced down at her and then looked back up, trying to focus on the path ahead of them and ignore the hurt she could see in the girl's eyes.  
  
“I can only bring two people with me, and I need them to be Roan and Ontari right now, Reese,” she tried to explain, and behind her she heard Echo let out a little noise, one that clearly told the queen what she thought of the other two warriors. “I'm sorry, but that means you can't come with me. I want you and Thom to stay at camp with everyone.”  
  
“But staying there is _boring_ ,” Reese groaned, and glared across her at Thom when the little boy told her, “Heda says we're not supposed to argue with Clarke. She's our leader, so we're supposed to just do what she says.” The queen flashed him a little smile, one she was glad to see him return, the unease from only a few minutes ago seeming to have fallen away. His grin grew a little, before he added, “She's right though, the camp _is_ boring.” Clarke shook her head, unable to keep her own smile from growing, before she told them both, “I'm sorry guys. Maybe Niylah and Luca could use your help making trades.” They both shot her a look, neither seeming to be exactly thrilled by the idea, and she couldn't help but let out a little laugh.  
  
They didn't talk much more as they made their way through the city, Sef still perfectly content against her chest and Thom pushing closer to her as the further they went the more people began staring at them. She tried not to pay the people watching her much attention, and noticed Reese just lift her head up higher beside her, walking a little taller, and Echo close in closer behind them. With nothing more than the stares, they made it back to the Azgeda camp.  
  
A few people stood at the stand Luca had set up the day before, eyeing over the various goods spread across its counter. Niylah stood behind it while Luca stood on the other side, showing off one of the delicately crafted knives he'd made out of driftwood. Paten stood at the side of the stand, slipping from also looking at the beautiful objects laid out along its length to eyeing those wanting to make a trade. Across the street, she found Callie and Nygel looking at some other stands, Nygel clearly caught in the middle of a trade while Callie looked on with a soft grin. Jojesh's parents sat around the fire at the center of the camp, Kila in the middle of cooking something and Kurtis trying to steal samples, only to have his wife swat his hand away. Jojesh stood behind them, shaking his head at their antics, but looked up as he saw his queen approach the camp.  
  
“Ubroukai,” he called, stepping around the fire to move towards her, and she gave him a smile.  
  
“Jojesh,” she said with a nod, and then shifted Sef over to him, the little boy clinging to her tightly before finally letting go. After she'd handed the toddler over, she looked down at the other two beside her, gesturing towards the camp. “Why don't you go see if Kila could use your help?” she suggested, and watched as Reese rolled her eyes and Thom let out a little sigh, but then did as she'd asked. Looking over to the stand at the far side of the camp as they walked away, she called, “Niylah? Could you come help me get ready?” The tradeswoman looked over to her, shooting her a smile. “Sha, Ubroukai,” she replied, and then nodded to those on the other side of the stall, leaving Luca to finish making the deal. Clarke flashed a smile up at Echo and Jojesh before she began making her way towards the building standing a couple of yards away, leaving the two warriors and toddler behind.  
  
She had to squint slightly as she walked through the building, the light filtering through the many windows not nearly as bright as being outside directly under the sun. Part of her had hoped that it might be a bit cooler inside, but instead it felt as though the heat had gotten trapped inside the building, the air hot and stale and providing no kind of relief. Walking by one of the rooms, she could hear muffled voices on the other side of the closed door, and knew that Lincoln and Octavia were still at the camp as well. That only left Roan and Ontari unaccounted for, and silently she hoped they'd both show up by the time she had to leave for the council meeting. As much as she'd spent any kind of free time she managed to find wracking her brain on how to get the two warriors to accept her leadership, she'd yet to come up with a better idea than just making them attend the council meetings. She hoped these meetings would convince them everything she did now was for the Ice Nation, but she knew Ontari at least wasn't likely to be swayed by talk alone. For now she just had to hope that any challenge she might make would come _after_ she'd secured her role in the coalition.  
  
Reaching the door to her room, a room she'd barely used yet, she opened it and slipped inside. A small bed rested against one wall, a few large pouches laying at its end, and it was these she moved over to. Grabbing one and lifting it onto the mattress, she began to go through it, pulling out pieces of clothing until she found the shirt she was looking for. Shaking it out, she laid it out over the pouch, before reaching for the hem of the shirt she was already wearing. The shirt was nice, a dark blue that was comfortable and fit her well, a testament to how much time Lexa had spent finding clothes for her room in the Commander's tower, but after their training it had gotten dirty, and already the back was a little damp from sweat. Normally she wouldn't care, fashion not exactly being the most important thing on the ground, but for the council meeting she wanted to look put-together, more queenly. The shirt she'd pulled from her bag would help with that.  
  
As she tossed the shirt she'd pulled off on the bed, she heard the door of the room open further behind her but ignored it, knowing it was just Niylah following at her request. She grabbed the second shirt, the gray fabric a little stiffer than the blue shirt had been but not uncomfortable, and pulled it on over her head. The shoulders were soft black leather, connected by the collar that ran across the back of her neck, and below it the fabric fell away, a long oval designed into the shirt when it was first made. The oval exposed her skin, revealing her shoulder blades, the fabric picking back up just about at the top of her breast band. With the way the back of the shirt was cut, she knew the new brand on her back would be visible to anyone behind her.  
  
“Are you ready, Ubroukai?” she heard, and turned around, flashing Niylah a smile. She didn't miss the way the girl's eyes were only now rising, clearly having watched as her bare skin disappeared beneath the shirt, but ignored it.  
  
“Yeah, thanks Niylah,” she replied, and then walked over to the chair pushed into the little desk at the side of the room. She pulled it out and sat, and less than a moment later the tradeswoman was behind her. “It doesn't have to be anything fancy right now, just a few braids to hold it back and keep it out of my face.”  
  
“Sha, Klark,” Niylah agreed, giving her a smile, and the queen returned it. Months ago she'd told her people they didn't need to call her by any of her titles, they should feel free to just use her name, but many preferred the formality and honor of the titles. Niylah was one of the few who switched easily between them and her name, something that helped a little when she was feeling overwhelmed by the world she now lived in.  
  
As fingers began to gently pull at her hair, dividing sections of it up into little strands, Clarke felt herself relax just a little, leaning back in the chair. Her eyes fell closed, mind still working just as hard as it always was, but a little bit of the tension she could feel in her back loosened. The movement made her think about the night before, sitting there as Lexa had taken her hair out of its braids, and she couldn't help but hope she would do it again tonight. There was nothing Lexa's fingers did that didn't make her feel good.  
  
“You did very well last night,” she heard Niylah tell her, voice quiet in the small room. One of Clarke's eyes cracked open as she continued, “The rest of Azgeda will be proud, when they hear how strong our queen was. And how beautiful she looked.”  
  
“Mochof,” she told her, trying not to move her head as Niylah's fingers continued to weave her hair into small braids. “The Commander was very impressed with what you did with my hair. So if I looked good, it's thanks to you.”  
  
She heard the older girl let out a little chuckle, her movements still gentle as she gave a light shake of her head. “You do not need my help to look good, Ubroukai,” she assured her, securing the braid she'd just finished into place before grabbing strands to start another. “You are always beautiful.”  
  
It didn't take a genius to know the tradeswoman was flirting; Clarke had picked up on her attraction to her weeks ago. Now she just turned a little, flashing her an easy smile, Niylah's fingers simply moving with the turn. “Again, thanks,” she said, and the other girl nodded.  
  
It only took a few minutes for Niylah to finish with her hair, and then she stepped away and Clarke stood up, shoulders settling in place. With another nod to the tradeswoman she turned, exiting the room and making her way back through the building. Stepping back out into the sun, she blinked quickly a few times and then looked around, relieved to find Ontari and Roan both standing by the fire, finishing up whatever Kila had made for breakfast. Octavia and Lincoln sat with Kila, Sef on Lincoln's lap as the warrior smiled down at him, but Octavia didn't seem to be taking her eyes off of Ontari, always suspicious of the other warrior. Thom was over by the trading stand with Luca, looking over the sea-glass wind chimes the craftsman had made, and Reese stood with Echo and Jojesh, practicing some really simple blows with Echo.  
  
“Ontari, Roan,” the queen called as she stepped forward, looking over her people. They both turned to her, Roan's expression controlled while Ontari didn't even try to hide her scowl. “Let's go.”  
  
Surprisingly neither argued, Ontari just letting out a sharp breath that almost resembled a growl as she rolled her eyes, and both moved over to her. She gave them a quick once over to make sure they didn't have any weapons on them, and then just met Ontari's stare, holding her eyes until the younger girl let out another growl and grabbed her knife from her belt before tossing it to the ground. Now all unarmed, Clarke turned and led the way back into the streets of Polis.  
  
After a quick search by one of the guards standing outside the doorway, the queen stepped into the council room, glancing around even as her head remained high. She was one of the last ones there this time, and unlike the previous day the other leaders were already sitting, everyone seeming to have gravitated to the same seat they sat in yesterday. Tey sat at the end of the line, closest to the door, and as she passed him Clarke could see his new mark displayed proudly in the way his arm draped easily across his chair. He met her eye as she passed, and gave a partial nod, one she quickly returned. Elia and Elaina stood at the wall behind him, and she could feel their eyes following her but chose not to glance over at them. Across from the Shallow Valley leader, Daniel's seat was still empty, the older man clearly still making his way to the meeting, and the seat directly beside him also still remained empty, Asher not there yet either. Sheni's nod as she passed was deeper, a little more genuine than Tey's had been, and she returned that one too. Neither Valia or Hektar nodded, the Lake People's leader seeming indifferent to her as she walked by while the Desert King gripped the arms of his chair tighter, purposefully not looking at her. Esta watched her go by, clearly studying her, while Anoq's eyes narrowed just slightly, studying her in his own way. Cela's chair was still empty as well, but Indra gave her a stiff nod and Luna openly smiled at her, an almost twinkle in her eye as Clarke noticed her give the queen's new outfit a once over, clearly thinking about their run-in in the hall earlier that morning. She fought back her own grin, instead returning the Boat People leader's smile with a small one of her own, and then she made her way to her own chair, turning and sinking easily into it. As she moved, she glanced behind Indra to find not only Shet once again standing near the wall, but now Aden stood with him, his head tilted back and shoulders stiffly straight. She caught Shet looking down at the boy and grinning, shaking his head, and the queen felt a silent sigh leave her lips; after Reese heard about this, the blonde knew her Second would fight even harder to be included in these meetings.  
  
Pushing the thought away for the moment, Clarke let her focus shift across from her and land on her mother, catching the older woman already studying her, clearly searching her for any sign of discomfort. As her back pressed against her chair, the pain from her burn flared up, enough that she had to force herself not to let it show, but not so badly she couldn't push it aside. Eyes dropping to her mother's arm, she saw the same mark much more evident than her own, Abby's sleeves pushed up above her elbow in order to show off the brand. Their eyes met and Clarke flashed her a quick smile and gave a little nod, gaze dropping down to the mark for half a second before flicking back up, and her mother's lips curled up, an eyebrow raising no more than a few centimeters as she returned the nod.  
  
Cela and her guards entered the room a couple of minutes behind Clarke, the Broadleaf leader's back so straight and walk so smooth that to the queen it seemed almost as though she glided into the room and to her seat. Asher followed a minute later, glancing around the room, and Clarke tilted her head a little higher when his focus settled on her, refusing to look away. He stared at her for a few seconds, jaw clenching and unclenching, before his sister touched his arm and gave him a look, ushering him to his seat. Asta followed them, but when she looked over to Clarke, the blonde didn't find the same anger that still burned in her father's eyes directed towards her, but rather something that seemed more like a cool curiosity. Daniel and Danias made their way into the room not long after, the leader smiling warmly at everyone gathered while Danias glanced down to the queen, winking when he caught her eye.  
  
What must have been within two minutes of the Delfikru's arrival, Titus strode into the room, not bothering to look to either side of him. He made his way up to the dais, hands clasped in front of him, and only turned when he stood in front of Lexa's throne. Still he barely looked at the gathered leaders, instead staring straight ahead at the open doors, and declared loudly, “Rise for your Commander.” As one, the leaders rose, chair legs scratching against the floor as they did, and everyone turned to watch their Commander as she made her way into the room.  
  
Just like yesterday, Lexa was decked out in her full Commander uniform, her war paint the only thing missing, and just like yesterday Clarke's breath seemed to catch in her chest. She followed the other girl's every movement as she easily made her way across the room, an air of cool confidence almost exuding off of her, and noticed Titus already bowing before she could even step up onto her dais. He backed away and she moved to her throne, turning and only then looking out over the leaders of her coalition assembled before her like troops waiting to go to battle at their Commander's order. Instead of the order she swept her sash out from behind her and sat easily in her throne, brow lifting in the slightest movement as she nodded to them. “Sit.” As one they did, the squeaks of chairs moving against the hard floor momentarily spreading through the room, and then it was quiet, the leaders all turning to her to hear what she would say.  
  
“I trust there will be no more disruptions in these meetings like we had yesterday,” she stated, her tone flat, even but with the tinge of a warning coloring its edges. She looked at Asher as she said it, eyes dropping to the fresh line she'd carved down his neck, newly scabbed, and he grit his jaw before barely nodding. “Good,” she said, looking up from the mark to his face again, and added, “Tonight we celebrate the Rock Line Clan. King Asher, are you and your people prepared to share with us all your ceremony?” Immediately his chest puffed out, head lifting higher.  
  
“Sha,” he answered, and then suddenly glanced at Abby, looking at the Chancellor for just a second or two before he corrected himself. “Yes, Commander. We are ready.”  
  
“Good,” Lexa said, giving a swift nod. “I will make sure the training area in the southwest section of the city is cleared out then and everything is prepared for the feast. You will see to whatever else is needed.” He nodded, and then she looked back over the rest of the leaders. “Now then: we have trading routes to discuss, land disputes to settle, and our clans we must continue to unite; where will we start?”  
  
The leaders all looked around the room at each other, all waiting for someone else to start, and finally it was Daniel who broke the silence, leaning forward in his chair as he looked down the aisle towards Abby.  
  
“Chancellor, tell us more about this hospital of yours,” he said, his sharp eyes meeting hers. “I'm intrigued by the idea. How many healers are you hoping to put to work there?”  
  
“There are already a few healers there now,” the Chancellor answered, a few of the leaders stiffening or shifting uncomfortably at the topic, but as Clarke looked around nobody seemed willing to speak against it. She could tell a few wanted to, grips on chairs tightening or jaws clenching, but under the Commander's watchful eye no one seemed quite as ready to vocalize their unhappiness as they had yesterday. Clearly her fight against the Rock Line King had done the trick, at least for the moment. “My... My healer Second is there,” Abby continued, doing her best to use the Grounder's terms as she explained. “Indra sent the head healer from Tondc as well, and Heda has sent a couple of healers from Polis too. Our hope is that healers from all of the clans will be able to get together there and share their knowledge with one another.”  
  
“And how big is the facility?” Daniel wanted to know, and after Abby answered that question he asked another, drawing more information out of the Skaikru leader. Soon the conversation drifted away from the hospital to healing supplies, and this drew more leaders into the conversation as it shifted to supplies in general, and Clarke sat back, watching the thirteen clan leaders manage to have a civil conversation. Tensions rose here and there, but nothing that wasn't immediately cooled down by a simple look from the Commander sitting above them all, and the queen began to feel something akin to hope flutter in her chest. They still had a long way to go before they would know if this had really worked and thirteen clans had actually managed to unite peacefully, but this at least was a start. It was something, and Clarke had to bite back a grin as she forced herself to focus on the conversation around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer than normal wait, it's been a little more difficult than usual to make myself write lately for some reason. No worries though, the chapters will keep coming, and I hope you all continue to enjoy them! :)
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Plei" - "Play"  
> "Pleiplei" - "Game"


	12. Chapter 11

Just as he'd done the day before, Taigon made his way into the council room as the leaders filtered out, and when Clarke saw him she almost didn't catch herself in time to keep from grinning. By the way his eyes flickered between the clan leaders he passed, she knew he must have been at least half-expecting this meeting to end similarly to yesterday's. Luckily for all of them, it had managed to remain far more civil, though she'd still caught a number of unpleasant looks as the morning dragged on.  
  
“How did it go?” the healer asked, stopping by the queen's chair and studying her, clearly trying to gauge whether everything was truly as fine as it appeared. She flashed him a smile as she stood up and stretched, back a little stiff after hours of just sitting.  
  
“It went fine,” she assured him, looking over his shoulder briefly to watch the last of the leaders and their people shuffle out of the room. Despite the fact he was supposed to be standing in as one of Indra's people, Aden hung back by the door, glancing over at the Commander still up on her pedestal even after the stand-in Trikru General left. She happened to catch the boy's eye and gave him a smile, one he returned with a small curl of his lips.  
  
“Really?” Taigon questioned, raising an eyebrow at her, pulling Clarke's attention back to him and she shrugged. “It isn't like everyone's happy, but it went as well as we can expect for now,” she said, meeting his look. “Nobody issued any kind of challenges or demanded any deaths, so yeah, I think it went pretty well.” The concern and seriousness of his expression cracked a bit at that, eyes brightening a little and the blonde didn't miss the way his lips twitched, nearly turning up.  
  
“Yes, I guess it went very well then,” he agreed with his own nod, and then before either of them could think of anything else to say their focus shifted over to the pedestal where movement caught their eye.  
  
“Very good, Commander,” Titus was saying, giving Lexa a partial bow. “I will see it is taken care of.” As soon as Lexa gave him a sharp nod, he turned, barely even glancing at the two of them, and made his way out of the room. Clarke's gaze followed him for a moment, before noticing someone else now stood just inside the doorway near Aden. He caught the queen's eye and bowed, but she got the sense he never entirely took his focus off of the others in the room. The obvious warrior seemed especially focused on Roan and Ontari, still standing off to one side waiting for her, and when she saw him glance between them and Taigon, she knew he must be the healer's guard. It didn't surprise her in the slightest that Lexa assigned him one for the celebrations and could only wonder how long Taigon had tried arguing with her before finally giving in.  
  
“What was that about?” Clarke asked, taking her focus off of the guard and instead turning it on Lexa as the other girl finally made her way down from her throne. The Commander hadn't given her adviser a second glance as he left the room, her eyes instead going to the queen and her brother, and now as Clarke turned she felt her heart give a little flutter as she met green already watching her.  
  
“I'm having Titus begin getting everything ready for tonight's ceremony,” she answered simply, the formality she'd used in the meeting beginning to fall away a little. It didn't leave entirely, the Commander still very much present in the way Lexa held herself, and Clarke felt relatively sure she knew why. Turning enough to look over her shoulder, the queen called, “Roan, Ontari: you can go.” Ontari's eyes narrowed, clearly not happy with being ordered around, but Roan's expression remained calm. He met her eyes and Clarke felt him studying her for no more than a second, and then without a word or nod or anything he began making his way out of the room. Ontari followed him, glaring at everyone she passed as she went.  
  
“Aden, you are dismissed,” Lexa told him, looking over to her student, the boy straightening the moment she shifted towards him. “You did well today.”  
  
“Mochof Heda,” he said with a quick bow of his head, and then he too slipped from the room leaving just the four of them. As soon as they were alone, Lexa's shoulders relaxed even further. As they did, she looked back at Clarke and her brother, giving the healer a look.  
  
“Are you going to stand outside the room every day waiting for the council meeting to end?” she wanted to know, her tone dry. He grinned at her, now clearly talking with his sister and not his Commander, before telling her, “I don't know, maybe I will. You require looking after.” She shot him a small glare while Clarke let out what sounded like a laugh, that glare turning on her a moment later. The look did nothing to wipe the grin off either of their faces, and Lexa felt herself straighten again, her hands clasping behind her back as though she were trying to hold on to her dignity.  
  
“It is you who require looking after, brother,” she replied smoothly and then called out, “Isn't that right, Renn?”  
  
“It is, Heda,” the man still standing by the door agreed, now leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest and shooting a half-smile at the healer. She was about to nod when he added, “Though it is possible he got that from his sister.” Lexa's eyes narrowed, shooting the older warrior a look that lacked any kind of actual anger, and for a second Clarke wondered who this man was to be able to joke around so informally with her.  
  
“I do not need to be looked after,” she insisted and the queen scoffed, the sound caught in her throat. Narrowed eyes turned on her and Clarke's eyebrow rose, as though she were challenging the Commander to argue. For a moment it seemed as though she was going to, but then her hands unclasped and her shoulders slumped a little, clearly choosing to let the topic drop. “I am going to change and then there is something I must do before the feast tonight. If you are not busy Clarke, I was hoping you would accompany me.”  
  
“To help you change or whatever it is you're doing after?” the queen asked, obvious humor in her voice. Lexa's eyes closed for just a second, the corners of her lips barely turning up, and Clarke's skimmed across her face, now noticing the beads of perspiration gathered along her upper lip and beading down from her temples. The queen was hot enough in her own clothes; in her Commander gear, Lexa wore at least an extra layer and with the sash flowing from one shoulder, she was sure the brunette must be boiling in her uniform.  
  
Eyes opening again to give the queen a look, Lexa told her, “I meant after.” Something in her expression changed then, the slightest twinkle growing in her eyes and one side of her mouth rising by mere centimeters. “Though if you wish to join me now, you know you are more than welcome to.”  
  
Before Clarke had the opportunity to say anything, Taigon answered for her. One arm went around her shoulders, tugging her lightly to his side as he met his sister's look. “I will keep Clarke company while she waits for you,” he informed them both, a hint of teasing authority in his voice. “We have not been able to talk much yet since her arrival to Polis.”  
  
Clarke flashed a grin up at him, swinging an arm around his back. “I like that idea,” she agreed, giving a quick nod. Looking back at Lexa, she told her, “Go get changed, we'll wait for you here.” Lexa's eyes darted between the two of them, not liking the way they grinned at each other, but even as she tried to decide whether it was a good idea to leave them alone together she felt new beads of sweat roll down the center of her back. Her shoulder already ached a little from the weight of her pauldron, and beneath it she could feel her sleeve practically sticking to her skin. At the moment, getting out of her Commander gear and into something more suitable for the temperature won over worrying about what her brother and queen might talk about without her there. Barely.  
  
“Very well,” she said, returning Clarke's nod. “I will be back shortly.” Sending them one final look and hoping it would be enough to keep any embarrassing stories at a minimum, she turned and left the room, tilting her head towards Renn when he bowed as she passed.  
  
The Ice Queen's gaze followed Lexa as she exited the room, and then she turned back to Taigon as he took a step away from her. Looking up at him, she caught him grinning.  
  
“I'm not sure my sister trusts leaving the two of us alone together,” he stated, clearly amused. “She seemed a little worried.”  
  
Clarke returned his look, an obvious twinkle in her eye as she replied, “That's probably my fault. She knows I have every intention of getting more childhood stories out of you before I have to go back to Keerie. I don't think she's entirely thrilled about the idea.” Taigon's grin only grew before he gave a little shrug. “When is my sister ever truly happy? As Commander, she must know she can't get her way all the time.” The queen nodded, lips still turned up in smile, and then he watched as she glanced around, seeming to give the room a fresh once-over now that there were no meetings or other leaders to pay attention to. As she did, her gaze fell to the warrior still standing by the door, her grin falling away a little as she studied him.  
  
“Clarke, this is Renn,” Taigon introduced, seeing her look and gesturing towards his guard. The warrior moved towards them giving the queen a respectful nod as he continued, “My sister decided I am not allowed to wander around our city without a guard while the other clans are here. Renn, Kwin Klark.”  
  
“Your sister was right to give you a guard,” Renn informed him, flashing the young man a smirk. “You require just as much looking after as she does, and you are nearly hopeless with a sword. At least she can defend herself.” Turning away from the healer, he nodded again to the blonde, telling her, “It is an honor to formally meet you, Kwin Klark.”  
  
“It's an honor to meet you as well,” Clarke replied, returning his smile with a hesitant one of her own. Glancing between the two of them, she observed carefully, “You seem to know Taigon and the Commander very well.”  
  
Hearing the question dancing behind the comment, Taigon rested a hand along the older man's shoulder as he informed Clarke, “Renn has known me and my sister our entire lives. He was a good friend of our fathers.”  
  
“He was like a brother to me,” the warrior corrected him, grasping the healer's elbow in a firm grip for just a second before looking back at the blonde. “And now his children are like my family. Which is why the Commander chose me to protect her brother.” His lips quirked back up before he gave the healer a playful shove. “So I follow Taigon around, whether he likes it or not.”  
  
As Taigon rolled his eyes, getting his balance again, Clarke mirrored the warrior's smile. “Good,” she told him, “It's good to know he's got someone watching his back.” Glancing at the two lines of chairs still spread out around them, her expression turned more serious, thinking of the faces of the leaders who'd been sitting in them only minutes ago. “It's really good to know, actually.”  
  
Taigon clearly noticed the shift in her expression and drop in her voice, his own eyes now studying her as he asked seriously, “And how are you, Clarke? Really?” Scanning her eyes, he added, “Has Hektar given you anymore trouble?”  
  
Tearing her focus from the empty chairs, Clarke shook her head as she turned back to him. “No,” she replied honestly, “No, he hasn't tried anything else. I don't know if he's avoiding me, but we haven't run into each other again outside of council meetings, and in those he doesn't say anything against me like some of the others. For now at least I think my threats worked.”  
  
The healer's forehead crinkled, studying her harder, and he nodded once slowly. “Good. Hektar is proud but he isn't stupid; I doubt he would try anything more now that you are here and have been officially accepted as the Ice Nation Queen.”  
  
Clarke nodded, but even as she did an eyebrow rose. “Any thoughts on whether or not Asher has given up too?” At the mention of the Rock Line King, Taigon frowned before shaking his head. “Asher is possibly more proud than Hektar and even more stubborn. I will not be surprised if he tries something else. Be careful.” The queen gave a nod in agreement, expecting as much, and then went back to looking around the room. Just like with Roan and Ontari, Clarke knew she'd just have to keep her eyes open and wait for some kind of opportunity to get the Rock Line King on her side, however unlikely that was.  
  
Still looking around, Clarke noticed the balcony behind Lexa's throne, for the first time really taking the time to study it. The sheer fabric hanging from the walls at either side fluttered lightly in the minimal breeze, and once again the queen found herself noticing the temperature in the room. Stepping up on the dais, she moved over to the opening, hearing Taigon and Renn follow her. Once out in the sun, she slowly approached the railing, one hand falling to it while she drank in the view before her. An almost endless sea of buildings seemed to be spread out beneath her, the tiniest of dots moving so far below it was impossible to make out any detail. At this great height, all she could hear from those on the ground was a blended hum of life.  
  
“If the Commander ever asks to speak with you out here, do not follow her,” Renn stated, easily moving up beside her and leaning against the railing, both arms resting against the stone. He shot her a half-smirk, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. “She enjoys kicking people off.” As Clarke's eyebrows lifted, she heard Taigon snort, and shifted her focus to him as he slipped between them.  
  
“I very much doubt my sister would ever even consider throwing Clarke over her balcony,” he told the warrior, his tone light. “I think she would be more likely to jump off it before that ever happened.” Renn grinned and nodded, and Clarke looked down over the railing again, her stomach dropping just thinking of that kind of a fall. She'd been terrified enough plummeting to the earth in the dropship when there was at least a good chance they'd land safely; a free-fall off this balcony was definitely not a trip she planned to make any time soon.  
  
“I wish I could say it's hard to believe Lexa would do that to anyone, but it really isn't,” she said, still glancing over the side. “Though it is hard to believe anyone would fall for that.”  
  
“It has only happened twice,” Taigon informed her, looking over at the blonde. “Both of those who went over had been foolish enough to question her right before they did. Few people dare to do so now, especially while up here, and even fewer follow her out on this balcony.”  
  
“Smart,” the queen replied, gaze going out and scanning the ground below them. The dots continued to move below them, too far away for her to make out much detail on any of them, though every now and then something semi-intelligible actually managed to make it to the top of the tower on a gust of wind. She had never seen any place that looked so alive before, and for a second she thought she felt the energy of the city buzz through her veins. “It's beautiful,” she murmured, trying to somehow take it all in, and beside her Taigon smiled softly.  
  
“It is,” he agreed, also looking down. “Our city has not always been so full. It is only in the past few years it has become... this.” He nodded below, his smile easily making it to his eyes. “Many of the buildings you see now used to be rundown, some even falling apart. Far fewer people lived in Polis so we didn't need them. Then Lexa became Commander and many Trikru from some of our smaller villages moved to our city. There are still some Trikru villages today like Tondc, but many of them were abandoned so the people could live closer to their Commander. When the first village moved in, Lexa began restoring the city, making sure her people all had somewhere to live. The work continued as more people moved in, some even from other villages, especially once she created her coalition. Our city was always beautiful, but she is the one who created what you see below you today.”  
  
“Mm,” Renn agreed, staring proudly below them. “We have had good leaders and we have had great leaders: Lexa will be better than them all.”  
  
“She already is,” Clarke whispered, her voice so soft she wasn't sure if even Taigon beside her could hear her, but it didn't matter. The words were a truth she felt sure all three of them already knew, so she let the breeze take them away.  
  
They stood there for another minute, overlooking the city and its inhabitants, until they heard footsteps behind them. Clarke turned, noticing Renn already looking back, clearly having heard the person approaching seconds before she did, and felt her lips curl up. Lexa now stood behind them, watching them from the foot of her dais, and the queen allowed herself a moment to look the Commander over. She still wore the same pants from earlier, a tight pair of black jeans, but she'd traded the rest of her gear for a simple dark tank top. The tattoo circling her forearm stood out easily along her tanned skin, but for the moment Clarke's eyes skimmed right past it. She looked up to meet green eyes darting back and forth between her and Taigon, slightly narrowed, and almost chuckled.  
  
“You're really worried about what he might have told me, aren't you?” she asked, practically reading the Commander's mind, and when Taigon grinned beside her she noticed Lexa's eyes narrow further. “Don't worry, we didn't get to any embarrassing stories.”  
  
“There is still time before you leave,” the healer assured her and the glare his sister shot him probably would have had just about anyone else trembling where they stood.  
  
“Kefa, bro,” Lexa warned him, her tone low. “You know I can hurt you.” Taigon's grin didn't even waver while Clarke's eyebrow rose and Renn shook his head. “Please don't try,” the warrior said, stepping away from the balcony, the other two following him. He smirked at the Commander, adding, “You told me I am to protect your brother; I really do not want to have to fight you. I am too old to make you two stop fighting as I did when you were yongons.”  
  
“Perhaps I should change your orders to keep him safe from anyone but me,” Lexa stated, still giving her brother a look. Renn shook his head, grinning, and Taigon's amused expression seemed to only grow. She was about to say something else when Clarke stepped between them, breaking her focus away from her brother. The queen's lips held a small smile of their own, even as she rose an eyebrow at the Commander.  
  
“I thought you had something you needed to do?” she reminded Lexa. “You can pretend you're going to kick your brother's butt later, right now let's go get whatever you need done. I'm assuming you want to make sure there's plenty of time to do it before we have to get ready for the feast tonight.”  
  
Lexa nodded solemnly, turning and gesturing for the blonde to follow. As she moved, she didn't miss the way Taigon hid his grin behind his hand or the fact that Renn's smirk grew. All four of them knew the queen had just successfully changed the topic of conversation and saved the healer from any retribution she might have given him for his teasing. Lexa simply continued to stand tall, her chin tilted proudly as she led Clarke out of the room.

***

Marcus and Abby didn't say anything as they left the Commander's tower and made their way back through the streets of Polis. That council meeting had gone well, at least as well as could be expected, but already Marcus's focus had shifted from it. He should be thinking about it, should be going over everything Abby and the other leaders had talked about, but instead he found it difficult to think about anything other than the woman walking calmly beside him. Whenever he glanced over he found her staring straight ahead, acting the part of the coolly confident leader, but just past that he could see the cracks in her facade. Over the past few months he had come to know Abby almost as well as he knew himself, and so could read her better than almost anyone. The slight creasing along her forehead told him she was going over the meeting in her mind, likely replaying it all and wondering if there was anything she should have said that she didn't, any piece of information she'd missed that might have helped more of the clan leaders to warm up to them. The little lines at the corners of her eyes told him she was worried, feeling the weight of the responsibility she never really asked for when they came crashing down to the ground baring down on her, heavier now than it had ever been before. The slight tilt at the corners of her mouth told him she was already missing him, already wishing they didn't need to send anyone back to Arkadia and unhappy it meant they needed to split up once again. He felt that same wish weighing in his own heart, and had to be careful not to let out the heavy sigh building in his chest.  
  
The seven they'd chosen to make the return trip with him were already waiting by the time they made it back to their camp, each packed and ready to go. Bellamy stood with them, clearly having been talking with Harper and Monroe before they got there, but then turned with the others as the two made their way over to them.  
  
“Everyone ready?” Marcus asked, skimming over the group, and at their nods he gave them one of his own. “Alright, then let's get going. Might as well get as much traveling in as we can while the sun's still up.”  
  
“I'll see you out of the city,” Abby said, looking over the entire group and saving him for last. He could feel something brimming beneath the surface, words they each wanted to say pushed down and held back for reasons other than just the fact others were watching.  
  
“I'll go with you,” Bellamy offered, looking from the two of them to his friends. Marcus grinned over at him, clapping him lightly on the shoulder and just nodded.  
  
The group left their camp, everyone clearly already having said their goodbyes to the friends who would be staying with the Chancellor, and again Marcus and Abby went silent as they walked side by side. More than anything he wanted to reach out, to at the very least squeeze Abby's hand in order to reassure them both, but held back. Though he'd realized months ago he'd fallen in love with her and knew she felt the same way, he also knew she wasn't ready for those feelings to be out and known by any of their people, least of all any of her daughter's friends. Marcus knew she agonized over how to tell Clarke about them, and more than anything didn't want her finding out from anyone else before they got a chance to talk.  
  
They weren't the only ones quiet as they made their way back towards the entrance into the city. Those behind them were silent as well, a few glancing around them as they walked while the others stared straight ahead. Looking back at them, Marcus wondered if any of them would miss Polis once they left. He knew he certainly would; never in his life had he ever even dreamed something like it existed, and now that he knew it did he wanted to know everything about the city and the people who lived in it. As much as he knew he needed to go back to Arkadia and fill the rest of their people in on what was going on, he also desperately wished someone else could be the one to go, for more than one reason.  
  
As always, those they passed stared at the small Skaikru assembly, mixed expressions ranging across their faces. Some people glared at them, obviously not happy to see members of the newly established thirteenth clan. Others' eyes narrowed suspiciously, not yet sure what to make of them, while more simply ignored them, too busy in their day-to-day life to let the strangers' presence distract them. Marcus didn't shy away from any of the looks, showing anyone who stared nothing but an easy smile while inside he couldn't help but worry. He didn't doubt they could do it, could win over these people and cement themselves in the Grounders' culture, but he didn't like leaving Abby while it was so clear many still hated them. He knew he would have his own battle to fight back in Arkadia to try to get everyone to understand why they'd made the decision they did, but just thinking about the battle Abby would have to fight for the next few days made his gut wrench a little. He just hoped from now on it would remain a battle of wits and persuasion rather than fall back into the kind of battle the Commander had fought just the day before. The idea of Abby getting caught in the middle of something like that had kept him from getting much sleep last night and now was nearly enough to make him turn around and refuse to leave.  
  
As they drew nearer the city gate, the crowds began to thin out, far fewer people now interested in the group of Sky People walking by. He could see the top of the gate minutes before actually reaching it, and when they finally did they all stopped. A few warriors stood on either side of it, barely giving the group more than a second glance, clearly unconcerned with them. Marcus looked the warriors over, and then turned back to Abby as she looked at the people with them.  
  
“Thank you all for making this trip,” she said, giving them a smile. “I know you weren't expecting to have to travel this much, but I appreciate your help with this. Our people need to know about us joining the coalition, and I know you're all going to help Kane explain why it's so important.”  
  
Abby continued speaking, but Marcus stopped paying attention to her, instead looking at Bellamy beside him. The young man caught his look, and Marcus gave him a smile, clapping his hand on his shoulder.  
  
“You're a smart young man, Bellamy,” he told him, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. “I want you to keep going with the Chancellor to the council meetings while I'm gone. Don't say anything, but pay attention; it's good to have a second pair of eyes in there.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Bellamy agreed, brow drawn, clearly taking the suggestion seriously. Marcus squeezed his shoulder once more before releasing it, and then glanced over at Abby. “And stay with the Chancellor,” he requested, voice dropping a little. “I trust the Commander, but some of the other leaders... Just stay with her, please.”  
  
“I will,” the younger man assured him quietly. “You can count on me, sir.” Marcus gave him a little grin even as he glanced to the side, seeing Abby moving towards him. “I know I can.”  
  
The Chancellor stopped in front of him and Bellamy shifted away, going over to say his goodbyes to his friends, and Marcus could feel his expression soften as he met Abby's eyes. He could see the emotions stirring in them, emotions he knew she was trying to tamper down. He didn't fight against his own so hard, letting them spill over a little as he stared at her.  
  
“Good luck, Marcus,” she said to him, her posture a little too stiff. “I'll see you again soon.” He smiled at her, entirely open, as he reached forward, grabbing her hand.  
  
“You will,” he agreed, pressing lightly against her fingers. “I'll be back as soon as I can, Abby.” She hesitated for a second, trying to decide whether to pull away, and then relaxed a little, returning the pressure. “Good,” she said, voice quieter now. “It'll be easier to do this with you here to help. Go let everyone in Arkadia know what's happening, and then come back and help me convince the other clans.”  
  
He nodded as he let go of her hand. If he held it any longer he knew he would try to kiss her, and there was no way they'd be able to hide that from the people only a few feet away. Instead he let both hands drop to his sides as he added, “You be careful too, Abby. Stick with the Commander and Clarke and Indra. We already know we can trust them, maybe Luna too. And I told Bellamy he should keep going with you to the council meetings. If anything happens, he'll keep you safe.” One corner of her mouth curled up, both amused and touched by his worry.  
  
“I'll be fine, Marcus,” she assured him. “We all will.” He nodded again and her expression softened a little, eyes scanning his own. “May we meet again.”  
  
“May we meet again,” he echoed just as quietly, and then with a final look turned around. Neither of them said anything else, and then he began leading the rest of their group out of the city. As he walked towards the trees on the other side of the gate, he didn't turn back around, not wanting to know how long she stood there and watched him go. All he wanted was to get back to Arkadia as soon as possible so he could come back to Polis. To her. 

***

As night began to descend over Polis, the noise of the city only seemed to increase, and nowhere was it louder than among the tables set up for the Boudalan feast. Four long tables had been arranged in a wide rectangle where there had once been a training ground, a great fire roaring at its center. Clarke sat at the longest table with the other clan leaders all around her, while members of each clan sat at the other three. Piles of food were laid out on trays and platters before them, mountains of food, more than she'd ever seen in one place before in her lifetime. It all came from the villages of the Rock Line Clan, so while much of it was food she'd had before, a lot of it was new to her. Roasted birds, bigger than any of the chickens or partridges she'd seen, were laid out, two on each table, with platters of darker, richer meat sitting next to them. The scent of the cooked meat mixed with the scent of the many loaves of bread, some dotted throughout with berries or nuts, as well as the smells coming from the roasted vegetables had the queen's stomach rumbling the moment they'd been placed on the table. Along with the cooked vegetables were ones that were still raw, carrots and beans and radishes that all crunched so wonderfully the moment they were bitten into. Little bowls of berries covered the tables, blue and black and red, darker and juicier than Clarke could quite remember ever eating. She waited as patiently as she could, holding back until others started filling their plates, and then she reached out, gladly helping herself. With just the first bite, she nearly let out a groan, as thankful as ever that she'd made it down to the ground where she'd learned just how amazing food could be.  
  
The leaders around her ate, few bothering to strike up any kinds of conversations. Every leader sat with one person from their own clan, whether that other person was a partner, Second, guard or someone else, so when anyone did speak it was usually with that person. As the meal wore on, the invisible barriers between clan leaders began to dissolve slowly and eventually light conversation could be heard between a few leaders. Clarke sat between Indra and Reese, the little girl having begged to be included until she finally gave in, and across from her mother and Bellamy. Each one of them seemed stiff, eating quietly if they ate at all.  
  
“Eat,” Clarke murmured quietly, nudging Reese with her shoulder. Though her plate was full, the young girl had barely taken more than a bite. She saw her Second glance down at her food, shifting nervously in her chair.  
  
“Not hungry,” she mumbled back, quickly returning to looking around the table, trying to see everything at once. The blonde nudged her again, staring pointedly down at her plate. “I mean it Reese, you need to eat.” The girl sighed and then grabbed her fork, looking at Clarke out of the corner of her eye before stabbing one of the vegetables on her plate. Knowing she was being watched, she ate it, letting out an exaggerated “Mmm,” as she chewed and swallowed. Mouth curling up into almost a grin, Clarke nodded, before turning her attention back to her own plate.  
  
At the far end of the table, she could just barely hear Asher, the king telling some story as those closest to him listened on. He sat with his wife and queen, a woman who Indra had quietly introduced as Hertha when she sat, at the end of the table, and beside him sat Asta while Mita sat beside Hertha. Glancing down at them, Clarke couldn't tell if Tey and Valia and their people were as interested in the story as they appeared to be, or if they just felt compelled to listen as they sat beside the Rock Line Clan leaders. At the other end of the table and closer to the blonde, Lexa sat, once again decked out in her full Commander regalia, war paint and all, and it was she Clarke kept stealing glances at. The Commander sat with Esta and Hektar closest to her, and while the Ice Queen knew she probably just wanted to keep the Sankru King close, the blonde couldn't help but be a little jealous of their proximity to the brunette.  
  
As they ate, servers walked around the tables, re-stocking platters of food when necessary and re-filling emptied cups. Water and wine flowed around the table freely, the latter sweeter than Clarke had expected it to be. After only one cup of the wine she knew the alcohol content couldn't come even close to standing up against Monty's moonshine, but she still decided to switch over to water. If anybody decided to start something she wanted to be completely in control of herself, and knew she therefore couldn't take the chance of getting even a little drunk. Many of the others around the table didn't seem to have the same thought process as her, and she looked on as some people drank cup after cup of the sweet drink.  
  
Theirs wasn't the only table where the wine seemed to flow freely. At one point she looked up when a number of people exclaimed at one of the other tables, her focus drawn to a couple of young men, one now standing up and waving an arm around extravagantly. She didn't know him or many of those with him, but as she scanned over the group, her eyes narrowed slightly as she recognized one particular face. Prince Enit barely looked at those around him, every now and then just glancing over to the young man still at the center of attention a few seats away from him and rolling his eyes.  
  
“That is Prince Zuteh, the oldest son of King Hektar and his wife Rajiv,” Indra informed her, looking over at the other table even with her face still tilted towards her plate. “Across from him is their middle child, Prince Hutem. You met Enit, a few seats away.”  
  
Clarke studied Hektar's three sons. Zuteh's skin seemed to be a shade or two lighter than his brothers', and his smirk and the volume at which he spoke certainly didn't match up with the little she knew about Enit. The way Hutem sat had his back angled towards the queen, which meant she couldn't make out much of his face, but he seemed to be shaking his head at his older brother even while some of the others around him laughed. As she continued scanning over the group, she stopped when Enit looked over, their eyes suddenly meeting as though now locked into a battle of wills. They stared at each other, both seeming to be looking for something or waiting for the other to back down, and that look only broke when the person beside Enit slapped his back, clearly trying to draw him into the conversation. He stared at Clarke for another second and then turned away.  
  
After looking over the three Sankru princes, Clarke let her gaze wander over the other two tables, skimming past faces she didn't know as well as a few she faintly recognized. Finally she made it to the table where some of the Skaikru sat along with some of her own people, and looked over to see Raven and Monty deep in conversation, Jasper sitting silently beside them, obviously doing the same thing she was at the moment. She continued on, turning to her own people, and felt herself begin to frown before she could entirely stop it. Towards the end of the table she found Thom, the little boy leaning with his arms crossed on the table, his chin resting on them. She could see an almost full plate of food in front of him, and though it was clear Callie was trying to coax him into eating, he didn't seem to have any interest. A stab of guilt struck through Clarke, thinking of the dejected look he'd had on his face when she told him only Reese would be able to sit with her at the leaders' table. She knew she would have to try to do something to make it up to him, though she wasn't entirely sure what yet.  
  
Just as she was trying to decide if she dared leave her own table to go over to him, the minimal talking around her stopped and she felt her focus pull back to her own table. Taking a quick look at those closest to her, she followed their gazes down to Lexa, finding the Commander staring straight across the table to the pair at its other end. Once she had their attention she nodded, indicating it was time to continue on to whatever was next. Clarke turned and looked down towards Asher, looking just in time to see him return the nod before he turned to his daughter. Without a word Asta stood, easily getting up and walking towards the large fire burning in a pit at the center of the tables. As she moved, the attention of everyone at the other three tables seemed to be drawn to her, until only the loud crackle of the fire and muffled sounds of the city behind them could be heard in the dark. She stood silently in front of the fire for a few seconds, the quiet drawn out after all the noise, and already Clarke could feel goosebumps beginning to form along her arms. With her back to the leaders Asta began speaking, as though she were talking to the flames in front of her.  
  
“ _Every year we remember,_ ” she began in Trigedasleng, whatever she had to say clearly too important to translate despite the Commander's insistence on using Gonasleng for those who didn't understand their language. Lexa didn't stop her, didn't move except to watch her, and Clarke followed suit, shifting in her chair just enough to see the young woman better. “ _We remember the end, and we remember the beginning._ ”  
  
“ _Generations ago, great fires burned the earth. Our ancestors had angered the gods, so they dropped great balls of fire from the sky, destroying everything where they landed. Trees and villages burned alike, humans and animals screaming as the flames engulfed them. Smoke filled the air, too thick to breathe, until those who weren't burning died from the black air. The gods dropped their fury to the ground, their anger so great that when the balls struck whole buildings crumbled apart, boulders, trees, even mountains destroyed in a single second. They held back nothing, let all of their righteous anger tear the earth apart, until no spot had been left unmarked._ ”  
  
Clarke listened on, catching the majority of what she said, and as she listened she felt her mouth fall open in awe. This recounting of the bombs that had fallen nearly one hundred years ago was almost beautiful in a terrifying way. In many ways, she enjoyed this story far better than the truth of what happened; it was far less gut-wrenching to imagine gods, some all-powerful beings, destroying the world rather than humans doing so as they tried to destroy one another. She watched as Asta reached out, as though she might be about to slide her hand into the flames in front of her, but stopped only inches away.  
  
“ _Despite the gods' anger, life was not entirely wiped out,_ ” she continued, her back still to their table, looking to the queen like a shadow come to life. “ _Many had been killed, but a few survived. The gods decided to test those who still lived, knowing only the strongest should remain, and so sent a great disease following their fires. The disease turned people's skin red, gave them great burns that appeared from nowhere. Babies born after the fires were badly formed, many with missing or extra limbs, some born without eyes or nose. Even those babies who seemed fine at birth would die soon after, unfit for this new world the gods had created. They had decided only the strongest would survive; there was no room in their world for the weak._ ”  
  
“ _Five years after the last of the gods' fires had burned out, two brothers emerged from the broken earth. No one knows where they came from or how they survived the gods' wrath, but together they made their way through the ruins of the forest. They would show the gods their worth, they decided, by making the great trek up the tallest mountain, to prove their strength, prove they deserved to live near the skies the gods had used to try to destroy the land. They began their journey with nothing more than a couple of knives between them, determined to make it._ ”  
  
“ _As they traveled, they found others who had survived the fires and the disease, who had made it through the end of the world. Those they found were desperate and afraid, clinging to life but without any idea of how to live. The brothers saw this, and they made these people an offer to join them. They taught the people how to fight. Taught them how to survive in this new world so different from the old. They invited the people to join them on their journey to meet the gods, to prove their worth. Most quickly followed them, already seeing the greatness, the strength the brothers possessed._ ”  
  
“ _Many of those who joined the brothers didn't make it. The trip up the mountain was brutal, a new test of the gods. They fought wild animals, all gone half-mad from the fires and deformed just as so many people were. The younger brother nearly lost his life one day when a crazed mountain lion attacked but instead walked away from the fight proudly baring his new scars and carrying the beast's pelt. They fought the land itself, climbing up rocks that shifted under foot, trying to cross canyons that had formed after the fires, drinking water now poisoned by the bodies of the dead that had fallen into it. Of the dozens of people who followed them, at least half died, too weak to make it in a world meant only for the strong. Nevertheless the brothers continued up, determined to reach the highest point of the mountain. Finally, after weeks of traveling, they made it._ ”  
  
For a few seconds Asta remained quiet, staring towards the flames still leaping towards the sky, and Clarke had to remind herself to breathe. She felt lost, entirely drawn into the story, unable to think of anything else. If she'd looked around, she would have found dozens of others just as consumed by Asta's words as she was but she couldn't take her eyes off of the shadow girl. With every word she could feel her goosebumps spreading and her mouth going dry, almost too in awe to remember to swallow. Finally the Rock Line princess started again.  
  
“ _When they reached the top, the brothers knew they and their people still were not safe from the terrors of the wild around them. They didn't stop to rest, didn't relax, but led the way back into the trees, finding ways of cutting them down and creating their own shelter. They continued to train their people in fighting, taught them how to hunt large and small game alike. They built weapons and tools, arming those who followed them until every last one of them knew how to protect themselves. For over a year they worked, until they'd built a village that could stand against anything and a people who would defend it until their last breath. Others heard what they had done and soon came to their village, ready to fight for it and follow the brothers. Soon there were so many that a second village needed to be built, and with it the first clan was created. The Rock Line Clan. Rhett, the oldest brother, became its first king, while his brother Amery taught and led his warriors. Together they had proven their strength to the gods, but while this was enough to please Rhett, his brother began to grow restless. With the clan established and its people safe, Amery decided to journey back down the mountain to find others trying to survive in the gods' new world, to bring them back with him and grow their clan to make it stronger. King Rhett watched his brother leave with no more than a dozen warriors behind him, the rest of their people cheering as he went, none of them doubting their commander had the strength to make it._ ”  
  
The sudden title shocked Clarke, her eyes widening as she felt herself fly out of the story, and then her eyes were no longer on Asta but on Lexa. The Commander still sat at the end of their table, her shoulders as squared and back as straight as the queen had ever seen them. The warpaint dripping around her eyes blended in with the dark, making them practically glow in the flickering light of the fire. She watched the princess of the Rock Line Clan, even as others began stealing glances at her as well. Clarke's breath caught in her chest, though whether it was because of the silent power that seemed to pour off of the other girl or because of the sudden knowledge of what she was hearing she couldn't say. As Asta continued with the story of her people, the blonde forced herself to tear her gaze off of the Commander and turn back towards the fire. Asta was moving now, slowly circling the flames, and the movement seemed to throw the queen right back into the trance her story created.  
  
“ _As he planned, Amery made his way back down the mountain with his few warriors always behind him. He told the people he met about their clan and what they'd done, sending them up to join his brother and king, but before long just as many as went up stayed with him. The single dozen warriors with him turned into a couple dozen, and he was their commander, their leader. At the bottom of the mountain he didn't turn around but kept going, unable to stop. For a year he traveled, until he had enough people with him to create another village, this one many miles away from the mountain he still called home. Even once this village was built he didn't stop, just kept going. He stayed long enough to be sure those left behind could protect themselves, and then he left._ ”  
  
“ _For years Amery traveled, building villages and training their people, turning them into warriors. Word spread, and soon the Commander was well-known even by those who had never met him. Other villages had begun to appear in other parts of the land, and before long small wars had broken out, each village, each clan trying to expand. Amery stopped his endless travels to lead his now large army into battle, determined to end these wars before any enemy warriors could try to make it up his mountain, to keep them from invading his home. With the sword he now carried he led his warriors against their enemies, cutting down anyone who dared to go against him. Those who saw him in battle said he fought with the spirit of the gods, carrying their wrath, their judgment with him. He destroyed his enemies as easily as the gods had destroyed the earth, their fire shining in his eyes._ ”  
  
“ _The wars lasted for months, more and more stories traveling further than they'd ever gone before, until Amery's name was known by all as the greatest warrior, the greatest leader alive. His people loved him and his enemies feared him, all falling beneath his sword. The wars ended, but now people began seeking him out, some wanting to follow him, others wanting to challenge him. Many didn't believe the stories of the man who created and destroyed like the gods until they were staring him down, his sword at their throats. He was the greatest of all warriors, the greatest leader any would know for generations, and he bore his title proudly._ ”  
  
Asta paused, circling around the fire until she faced the clan leaders, and let her gaze slowly travel along the length of the table. She started on Lexa, eyes drinking in the sight of this Commander listening to her tale, before moving on to the next person. Clarke watched her, noticed her skim right over many of them, before her eyes landed on Daniel, the old man sitting almost directly at the center of the table. When the queen expected her to continue down the line of leaders, she didn't, her focus stuck on the one man. Clarke glanced at him, unsure what was going on, and frowned when she saw the leader of the Delphi Clan return Asta's stare with a firm nod, the corners of his lips pulled down. As though the motion broke through her silence, Asta's head tilted back, now staring at the stars.  
  
“ _While the wars raged in the north, another clan was forming in the south. The leader of this clan was a man named Eras, a man who had fought in his own wars, quickly earning the fear and respect of his people just as Amery had. He had heard the stories of the Commander and knew he needed to see for himself whether they were true or not, so nearly five years after Amery left his mountain, Eras took some of his warriors and traveled north. Amery heard about the southern leader looking for him and waited, ready to once again prove his strength. The two met with their warriors at their backs, but when the fight began it was just the two of them who moved, their followers knowing this was a battle between leaders only._ ”  
  
Asta looked back down, glancing at the table again for no more than a second before turning and staring into the fire. Clarke watched the shadows dance across her face as though they were the two dueling leaders, and once again felt her breath catch in her throat.  
  
“ _Amery and Eras fought for what could have been hours, two great warriors, each finally meeting someone worthy of their skill. Their weapons flashed and screeched as they slid across each other, neither giving in to the other's strength. Their warriors watched, in awe of the way the two moved, the way they danced around their opponent or rolled away to avoid an attack. They watched and they waited, knowing this was a battle only one would walk away from._ ”  
  
“ _Finally, it ended. Amery attacked but Eras deflected it, his movement too quick for the Commander to counter, and suddenly his sword slid through Amery's chest. It's said the two great warriors stood together, body to body, for endless seconds, connected together by a sword. As Amery felt his spirit slipping from his skin, he looked at Eras, his enemy and equal, and whispered the words that have been used from that day on. 'My fight is over.' As he finished, his eyes closed and his body slumped forward, his spirit leaving one vessel to be reborn in another. His warriors gathered his body and burned it, hundreds of people gathering to honor their fallen leader, and after Eras returned to the Delphi Clan, carrying a new title with him. Wanheda. Word of Amery's death traveled back to the Rock Line Clan and King Rhett, who honored his brother with a great celebration and feast. We continue to honor the first Commander every year on the anniversary of his death, telling his story and remembering how it was his strength that made our clan great. We remember his death, the end of his life, and we remember the beginning, the first life of the Spirit of the Commander. We remember it all._ ”  
  
Clarke stopped listening at the sudden inclusion of her first title, and all the air drove out of her lungs. For the briefest of seconds her shock seemed to entirely stop her heart from beating, and then it started racing in her chest. Her mouth dropped open again and then immediately closed, seeing eyes flashing quick glances at her, and she forced her expression to remain as calm as possible. She'd never before heard any stories about the origins of her first title nor had she expected to hear any tonight, but now Asta's words tumbled around in her head as she tried to make sense of them. Asher rose from his seat and moved over to his daughter, clapping her on the back and saying something, but the queen didn't quite get it as the truth of what she'd just learned pulsed through her.  
  
With Asta's story of the first Commander told, the evening began to wind down to a close. The leaders of the thirteen clans hung around a little longer, some exchanging polite enough conversation while others remained silent, but soon people began to leave the large training field to venture back into the heart of the city. The clan members sitting at the other three tables dispersed as their leaders did, some slipping silently into the shadows while others could easily be heard long after they could no longer be seen, the wine from the evening clearly still affecting their systems. Clarke remained in her spot at the table, forcing herself to partake in any of the conversations around her when anyone tried to include her, trying not to think too much about what she'd just learned. At her end of the table, Lexa seemed to be calm, as composed as always, but the queen caught her every now and then stealing glances her way. By the time the last few people were left the servers had begun to clear the tables, and as her mother and Luna both walked away, their people following them, Clarke pushed her chair back.  
  
“Time to go, Reese,” she told the girl still by her side, the first words she'd said for at least a half hour. “Go back with Callie and the others, please. I'll see you in the morning.”  
  
“You're not coming with us?” Reese wanted to know, giving her a look even as she followed the blonde, jumping out of her chair. At the shake of Clarke's head, she opened her mouth to argue, but seemed to change her mind. Whether she was tired or just used to it by now, she clearly decided to let it go, instead asking, “Will you train with us tomorrow?”  
  
“I don't know, maybe,” Clarke replied, only partially paying attention. Her focus shifted to Lexa the moment she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, seeing the Commander nodding at Indra and Aden before the two Trikru left as well, those who'd come with them falling into place behind them before slipping into the dark. She heard Reese let out a sigh beside her and then she was making her way over to the other table where Clarke's people were just now rising. The queen looked over at them, seeing Callie carefully lift Thom from where he'd fallen asleep on the bench, and made eye contact with the other woman. Callie flashed her a smile as she shifted the young boy against her and then let her eyes drop to Reese, turning her smile towards the girl as she joined them. They and the other Azgeda representatives left then, most throwing their queen a look or a nod first, and then Clarke and Lexa were alone except for those still clearing the tables.  
  
Neither of them said a word, instead just fell in step as they too made their way back into the city. The light of the large fire dimmed and everything grew darker, torches lighting the way as they made their way down the streets. It was far from pitch black, many people still doing business even at the late hour, but still Clarke unintentionally stepped closer to the brunette, lost in her thoughts. Lexa noticed but said nothing, allowing herself to stay close to Clarke as the two made their way back to her tower.  
  
In the tower and then the elevator, the two leaders still didn't say anything, though now Lexa began stealing more and more glances of her love. She could practically see the blonde thinking, knowing she must be going over the history she'd just learned, and gave her more time to try to process it. When the elevator stopped she led the way down the hall and into her room, nodding to the guard outside it before closing the door behind them. She felt the stiffness leave her shoulders even before she'd turned around, her role of Heda slipping away now that they were safely tucked away from their people. Turning back towards the queen, she found Clarke already sitting on the small couch in the center of the room, staring at the chessboard still set up on the table in front of her, the game untouched since that first night Clarke had tried to teach her how to play it. Lexa had a feeling the game wasn't what was on her mind, and decided to wait until the queen felt like talking. For the moment she moved over to her desk, sitting down and beginning to wipe the warpaint from around her eyes.  
  
“Why didn't you ever tell me?” Clarke asked as she removed her forehead piece, placing it carefully on the desk. Glancing in the mirror, she caught blue eyes watching her, creases pulling along the queen's forehead.  
  
“About which part, Clarke?” she wanted to know, relatively sure she already knew. The blonde's frown increased before she said, “My title. Wanheda. Why didn't you tell me?”  
  
“It never mattered,” Lexa answered simply, briefly looking away from the blue piercing into her from the mirror. Honestly she'd forgotten about that part of the Boudalan's famous story, otherwise she would have warned Clarke ahead of time. “Never mattered?” the queen repeated, tone almost hard, and Lexa could hear the emotion she was trying to keep out of it. “What about that doesn't matter? It doesn't just mean Commander of Death, it means the one who killed the Commander. That title, my title... I'm named after the man who killed you.”  
  
Looking up again, Lexa glimpsed a flash of something in the queen's eyes, something she couldn't quite place. She could tell Clarke was trying to process it all, trying to decide what it all meant and whether the past connected at all with the present. Confusion and what may have been something akin to guilt tugged briefly at the queen's forehead, and immediately Lexa deserted her desk, making her way over to the couch. Sitting beside Clarke, she reached out, slipping her hand into the blonde's.  
  
“You carry a title of great honor, Clarke,” she murmured, running her thumb soothingly over her knuckles. “Eras was greatly respected for his strength. Beating the first Commander in battle proved to everyone just how strong he was, and as you heard tonight, strength was held above everything else, especially back then. Only the strongest survived in that world, and Eras was one of the strongest. As you are now.”  
  
“I... I'm not sure I like that,” Clarke muttered with a slight shake of her head, mouth twisting down. Looking over at Lexa, her expression softened ever so slightly. “I don't want to be associated with someone who hurt you. Even if it wasn't really you who was hurt.” She saw Lexa's lips curl up a little, before the brunette leaned forward, closing some of the space between them.  
  
“You are not Eras, and though my spirit is the same, this vessel is not Amery,” Lexa reminded her. “The title my people gave you is a great one, but the battle they fought ended generations ago. Don't let it upset you now.” Clarke shook her head, unable to so easily dismiss what she'd just learned, but then felt herself let out a sigh. This new piece of information didn't sit right with her, but for the moment she wanted to try to let it go, to just let herself be with Lexa without either of them having to put on any kind of show for anyone else. She would save her worries about the origins of her first title for another time.  
  
“I'm not upset,” she said, meeting Lexa's gaze and giving her a little smile. She noticed those green eyes scan her own, clearly not entirely believing her, and felt her smile grow, this time more genuine. Leaning forward, she closed the rest of the space between them, capturing Lexa's mouth against her own. She felt the little hitch in the Commander's breath the moment their lips touched, and almost let out a chuckle. “Really Lexa,” she assured her, pulling away just enough to shift her lips over, barely brushing against the brunette's chin as she moved. Lexa's eyes met hers again, and this time she knew the other girl could see her certainty. “I'm fine. Just glad I finally have you alone again.”  
  
“Clarke...” Lexa murmured, unable to look away from the blonde beauty before her. She knew they should talk some more, knew Clarke couldn't have pushed past whatever had been bothering her so easily, but she found it difficult to think straight sitting so close to the blonde. She'd made sure to only drink watered-down wine all night, something she did every time alcohol was served at any kind of formal celebration in order to always be sure her head would remain clear, but Clarke's mere presence intoxicated her more than any drink ever could. She pressed forward again and then Lexa's eyes fluttered closed, the queen's lips so easily working their way down beneath her chin and down her neck. She easily saw where this was going, especially as one of Clarke's hands found its way to her waist, and at the moment the Commander could think of no good reason to try to stop it.  
  
Clarke smirked the moment she heard Lexa murmur her name, her lips quickly trailing down over the other girl's neck. Every thought other than being with Lexa fled from her mind and she let that one thought grow. Her hand made its way down to her waist, feeling the rough fabric and buckles of her Commander gear, and her smile grew.  
  
“Why don't I help you out of this?” she suggested, barely moving her lips away from her neck. “You must be hot.” She could have sworn she heard a near-silent whimper escape Lexa's parted lips and had to bite her own lip to keep from grinning. If Lexa really had made the noise she didn't let on, instead just nodded her head once.  
  
“I am a little... warm,” she admitted, eyes opening, and Clarke flashed her a smile before landing another quick peck just beneath her ear. Lexa returned her smile with a soft one of her own, and then looked on as the blonde got to work undressing her.  
  
Immediately the queen decided the Commander uniform had far too many buckles and layers. Carefully she helped Lexa slip out of her pauldron first, Lexa laying the shoulder armor gently on the couch behind her, the sash trailing behind it. The shirt itself seemed to be nothing but a mass amount of buckles and straps, something that had Clarke feeling frustrated after the fourth one.  
  
“Seriously, how do you even get into this thing?” she demanded, glaring at the many annoyances, and she could practically feel Lexa's grin. Glancing up, sure enough the corners of her mouth had pulled up into a small smile, the Commander watching her in amusement. Lifting a shoulder, she shrugged. “I've gotten used to it,” she replied, finally moving to help the blonde. She'd learned over the years which straps needed to be unbuckled and which could remain in place for her to put the shirt on or take it off, and so reached down, releasing one last buckle. Under Clarke's watchful eye she lifted the shirt over her head, a couple of the buckles still in place. When the queen gave her a small glare, her grin only grew. “You will get used to it as well.”  
  
Clarke lifted an eyebrow at that, trying to fight back a smirk of her own. “Oh yeah? You think I'm going to be taking this off you a lot, huh?” A playful spark lit up in Lexa's expression, and then she moved, lifting one leg and swinging it over the blonde's lap. As she did, she let her shirt drop behind her, falling to the floor rather than join her pauldron and sash. “I hope so, yes,” she answered, leaning over the queen, noticing the way blue eyes raked over her torso, now bare but for the band around her breasts. Her eyes caught on a pale neck, watching as Clarke swallowed thickly.  
  
“Me too,” the queen muttered before quickly darting forward, crashing their lips together. Her hands moved to Lexa's hips, gripping them tightly while Lexa's moved to her neck, lightly cupping her jaw. The kiss started out soft but quickly devolved into a mess of clashing lips and teeth, as though each were desperate to drink the other in. After a long day of having to behave in public and act as though this other girl wasn't the most important thing in their lives, now they could finally let all their walls down and just be.  
  
Clarke's fingers ran lightly up along Lexa's sides, making the other girl's skin prickle beneath her touch. The movement seemed only to spurn the Commander on, her head tilting in order to deepen the kiss further, and the blonde mirrored it, returning the kiss with equal fervor. Lexa's hands remained up by the blonde's face for a few minutes, fingers gently running along her jaw, but before long they fell down to her waist, gripping the hem of her shirt and tugging lightly. Clarke almost laughed at the unspoken command and leaned forward, making it easier for the other girl to lift the shirt up. They broke apart only so Lexa could pull the unnecessary fabric over her head, tossing it back on the floor to join her own shirt, and then leaned forward again, already missing the feel of the queen's lips against her own. Just before they met Clarke pulled her face back, grinning when she saw Lexa's forehead furrow in confusion. The next moment the brunette felt her shuffle beneath her, and then moved with the queen as soon as she realized what she was trying to do. Turning and then laying back on the couch, she stared up at Clarke, the blonde now hovering above her.  
  
“I love you, Clarke,” she whispered, reaching up and catching a lock of blonde hair swinging in front of her face. Tucking it back behind Clarke's ear, her gaze shifted, finding blue eyes staring down at her. “I love you too, Lexa,” Clarke replied, voice nearly as quiet. She caught the brunette's hand as she tried to pull it back and then peppered feather-light kisses along her knuckles. The Commander sighed beneath her, apparently content, and Clarke felt her lips curl up. If only she could live her life exactly like this, she'd never have any complaints. Looking down at Lexa, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye, and smirked as she realized the Commander's shirt lay on the floor beside them.  
  
“You know, that thing might be a pain to take off, but I admit, it looks good on you,” she informed the woman beneath her, watching as Lexa looked down over her shoulder, also seeing the shirt. “But then, everything looks good on you. Or nothing. I'm a big fan of nothing too.”  
  
Lexa rolled her eyes, trying to hold back a grin. “Clarke.” She tried to admonish her, but the blonde continued to smirk down at her and she couldn't help but feel a bit of heat rise in her cheeks. “I'm serious Lexa,” she told her, shifting so that their fingers entwined, hands up above the brunette's head. “Everything you wear, it just... You drive me a little crazy sometimes. Especially right now; you're really driving me a little crazy right now.” She leaned down, lips trailing lightly down Lexa's neck again and continuing down until they brushed against fabric. She could feel Lexa's chest rising and falling beneath her, her breath a little faster than usual, and hid her smile by pressing down against the valley between the Commander's breasts. Lexa's grip on her hands tightened, and this time she wasn't entirely able to hide her smile.  
  
“Clarke,” Lexa said again, her voice a hair higher this time. She watched as blue eyes turned up at her, the rest of her face not moving, and had to swallow thickly at the look. She didn't really know what else to say, too caught up between the look and the weight of Clarke's body pressing against hers and the feelings tumbling around in her chest, feelings she'd finally put a name to months ago but still had trouble fully believing in sometimes. How could she be so lucky to be here with Clarke, the two of them together like this, knowing that the queen loved her just as much as she loved the blonde? She truly didn't know, but she wasn't about to let even a single second slip away from them.  
  
Apparently, Clarke wasn't either. One of her hands released the brunette's, easily slipping down her arm, barely brushing against Lexa's injured shoulder, and then traced along her collarbone. Lexa shivered at the barely existent touch, never looking away from blue eyes always watching her, and felt her mouth go dry as those fingers moved down another couple of inches to brush along the band covering her chest. Her thumb circled lightly over one of Lexa's covered nipples, the bud hardening almost instantly even from the indirect contact, and she had to fight to hold in a tiny whimper. Clarke's eyes continued to study her, watching carefully as she moved against the brunette, and then her hand slipped beneath the band, gently cupping one of Lexa's breasts and she watched as the Commander took in a sharp breath, her eyes falling closed. She spent a minute or two there, fingers moving against nipples that so eagerly responded to every ministration, trying to decide if she could wait long enough to worship Lexa's chest the way it deserved to be worshiped. When she heard the older girl let out another little noise from the back of her throat and felt her shift slightly beneath her, she decided she couldn't.  
  
Without any kind of warning Clarke's hand withdrew from beneath Lexa's breast band and she stood up, green eyes opening a second later and shooting her a curious look. Flashing the other girl a little smile, the blonde moved, pulling Lexa up so she was once again sitting. Lexa watched her, brow drawn in confusion, until Clarke's smile shifted to a smirk and she knelt down at the edge of the couch, the brunette's legs on either side of her. The Commander's eyes opened wide and her throat went completely dry as she realized what the queen was about to do, but didn't fight it as Clarke reached forward, unbuttoning her pants before quickly tugging at their zipper. Lexa lifted up a little, helping the blonde, and then she watched as Clarke tugged her pants and underwear down her legs, letting both join their shirts on the floor. Once bare other than the band still around her breasts, Lexa had to fight not to bite her lip, staring down at Clarke who stared straight ahead at her, her legs spread directly in front of her.  
  
“Now you're driving me a lot crazy,” the queen said, her voice huskier than usual, and Lexa had to fight not to whimper just from that. As it was she felt the muscles in her legs tense, an urge to close them and spread them wider sweeping over her all at once. Her fingers dug into the cushions of the couch, trying desperately to ground herself even as she felt her heart racing in her chest, the anticipation of what was about to happen causing her entire body to feel as though electricity shot through it. “Clarke, please,” she managed to get out in what she felt was a perfectly calm voice given the fact she was about ready to bury her fingers in blonde hair and tug the queen's mouth to where they both wanted it. The way the other girl's lips curled even further told Lexa it wasn't quite as calm as she liked to believe.  
  
“I'm not the only one driven a little crazy, huh Lexa?” she teased lightly. Her hands moved to the Commander's legs, her thumbs brushing lightly along the underside of her knees. Lexa's legs shifted, spreading centimeters further, as though it were all the answer she could give as she stared down at the blonde, attempting a glare that did nothing to erase the smirk. “Don't worry, Heda,” she continued, the teasing tilt of her voice still very much present. “I've got you.” She let her hands glide up to Lexa's thighs, felt the hard muscles flex beneath her touch, and then leaned forward, just as ready as Lexa clearly was.  
  
The second she felt Clarke's mouth on her, Lexa's head tilted back, falling against the couch as a groan pushed it's way up and out her throat. For a few seconds she tried to keep her hold on the couch, but her resolve quickly broke, her fingers winding into blonde hair and tugging lightly. She felt Clarke's grip on her thighs return the pressure, likely assuring her the hold was more than welcome, and subconsciously pushed forward on the couch, giving herself entirely over to her queen. As that tongue began dipping into her over and over again, urging her body to react, Lexa heard herself let out another groan, this one petering into a high moan as Clarke's mouth shifted its way up so her lips could lightly close around her clit and give it a gentle suck.  
  
Once again Clarke found herself stuck in an internal debate. Part of her wanted to take this slow, wanted to take her time mapping out her love, drawing out Lexa's pleasure. She wanted to stay like this for ten minutes, twenty, an entire hour, not moving from this spot until she'd made sure to pepper every inch of Lexa's thighs with kisses, explored every centimeter of her sex until she was sure she could close her eyes and draw it through memory of touch alone. She wanted to worship the brunette not because she was Heda but because she was Lexa, was the woman she loved with every fiber of her being and because she deserved to be worshiped just for that. She wanted to take her time and go slow, work the other girl up until she was nearly begging simply because she could. The other part of her however could feel the slight quaking of the thighs beneath her, heard the small moans escaping from between lips that barely hung open. She could taste just how aroused Lexa was, had known as soon as she knelt in front of parted legs and could see how wet she was already. She wanted to draw everything out, but it was clear just how tightly wound the Commander's body already was, so for the moment she decided to be nice and give it what it wanted. After all, she had all night to love every inch of Lexa.  
  
Without warning, Lexa felt Clarke's grip on her thighs shift, her arms sliding beneath them only to hook up and over, roughly pulling her closer to the queen's face. At the same instance her tongue began to roughly circle her clit, no longer holding anything back. Lexa gasped, the sound cut off abruptly when the tongue immediately traveled downwards, thrusting inside her. One of Clarke's hands moved, arm still curled around her thigh, and then Lexa's hips were simultaneously trying to pull away and push closer as two fingers began erratically switching between running directly over her clit and then around it. Between the tongue thrusting inside of her and the fingers playing at that bundle of nerves, she could feel the coil in her lower stomach twisting tighter and tighter, knowing that at some point very soon something was going to have to give.  
  
Finally it did. That coil wound itself so tightly that finally it just snapped, and without at all meaning to Lexa's fingers dug painfully into Clarke's hair, as though she wouldn't get through the next few moments without something to hold on to. The blonde barely winced even as she felt the few braids in her hair protest the tight grip, instead just held Lexa's thighs tighter as her hips tried to buck up against Clarke's mouth. Lexa moaned out her name in one long, high moan, and Clarke reveled in it as her tongue continued to work its way in and out of the Commander's quaking body.  
  
The quaking subsided, Lexa's body going limp beneath Clarke, and she let her grip on the other girl's thighs loosen as the fingers in her hair let up on their own hold. Glancing up, her tongue now lazily working between tanned thighs, she found Lexa watching her from half-lidded eyes, her chest heaving and cheeks pink. Turning, she pressed a soft kiss to the inside of one of the Commander's thighs, and then rested her head on the other one, unable to stop the satisfied smirk from tugging at her lips as she took in the sight of her love attempting to catch her breath.  
  
“See?” she said, her fingers now trailing nonsensical patterns over Lexa's skin. “I told you I had you.”  
  
“I didn't doubt you,” Lexa replied, voice a little rough, and she didn't miss the way Clarke's eyes seemed to darken at the sound. “You are always very good at that.” Fingers sliding out of her hair, one hand moved to a pale shoulder while the other fell back to the couch, and she felt herself flush a little. “I am sorry,” she added, glancing at the blonde locks tumbling around Clarke's face and over her leg. “I hope I didn't hurt you. I did not intend to hold on quite so tight.”  
  
“You didn't,” Clarke assured her, pressing another kiss to her thigh. “I'm fine.” Lexa smiled softly, thinking about how beautiful her love looked with her messy hair falling into her face and blue eyes darker than normal staring up at her, chin and lips still glistening from the work she'd just done. Clarke returned her smile, the ease of the gesture causing the lightness within Lexa's chest to expand. Without a second thought she found herself leaning forward, her body practically curling in on itself as she bent down, slipping her hands once again in blonde hair. This time her touch remained gentle, soft, as she tilted Clarke's head up towards her, catching a set of pink lips with her own. She could taste herself on her love, especially as Clarke pushed up, deepening the kiss, but she couldn't care less. In fact, the taste of her own arousal only made her want one thing.  
  
“My turn,” she whispered against Clarke's lips. Capturing them in another quick kiss, she felt herself smile as she opened her eyes, immediately meeting the queen's. “To take care of you.” She heard Clarke's breath catch, could practically feel her pulse quicken, and stole one final kiss before standing up. “Come on,” she just said, reaching down a hand to help the other girl up which Clarke quickly accepted. The moment they were both on their feet Lexa shot the blonde another little grin and then turned, their hands still locked together as she began leading Clarke towards her bed.  
  
At Lexa's words Clarke felt something in her stomach flutter, the anticipation they brought on already beginning to make her feel as though electrical currents ran across her skin, but a second later something else won out over that anticipation. As Lexa moved in front of her, their destination obvious, the queen's eyes naturally skimmed across the other girl's back, and there her focus shifted. She stared at the design she had long ago memorized, now unable to look away from its newest addition partially hidden beneath the other girl's breast band. When she felt Lexa tug lightly on her hand, trying to pull her forward and to the bed, she resisted.  
  
“Just a second,” she told her, briefly squeezing Lexa's fingers, and when the Commander glanced over her shoulder she immediately knew what she was looking at. Clarke caught the hint of a grin ghosting across Lexa's lips, but the brunette merely nodded, standing straight and letting their hands break apart, giving Clarke free reign to do as she wished. In turn the queen stepped forward, closing more of the gap between them, and reached out, her finger just barely touching her skin.  
  
What she could see of the patch of skin directly between the Commander's shoulder blades was still a little pink, still a little raw from earlier that day, but it clearly didn't hurt so Clarke allowed herself to lightly trace the new design there. Even though she'd been there, sitting next to Lexa as an artist had added it to the circle on the Commander's back, it still felt weird, seeing the symbol she'd grown up with all around her on the Ark now forever etched onto Lexa's body. This had been what the Commander needed to do right after the council meeting earlier that day, and Clarke couldn't help but think that the black ink of the Skaikru symbol stood out drastically against the other girl's tan back.  
  
“It's so weird,” she muttered, unable to take her eyes off the dark ink. “Seeing this... on you. I just... It's strange.”  
  
Lexa's head turned, looking at the blonde out of the corner of her eye. “I needed to add the thirteenth clan, just as I added each of the other clans once they joined my coalition. My back would be incomplete without it, and others might start asking questions.”  
  
“I know,” Clarke agreed, giving a little nod as her eyes finally broke away from the symbol, looking up to meet Lexa's gaze. She gave a little shrug then, finger still lightly tracing her back. “But it's still strange to see.” Lexa's smile grew, and then she twisted, wrapping her arms around the queen's waist, and Clarke had a feeling she had a pretty good idea how to make her forget about that strangeness.  
  
“Then perhaps now is not the time to focus on it,” the Commander murmured, pulling her closer, their chests now pressed together. Clarke felt her hands fall to her pants and grinned as fingers began working at her zipper. “I would be happy to distract you, if you would like.”  
  
“Mm, and how exactly do you plan on doing that?” Clarke asked, tone teasing as she pressed her forehead against Lexa's. With a smirk, the Commander met her eyes, and Clarke felt her breath catch in her throat at the look burning back at her.  
  
“However you would like, ai hodness,” Lexa told her before she pressed a soft kiss to the queen's cheek. Her smirk grew as her fingers slipped down the front of Clarke's pants, now loosened just enough to more easily maneuver around in. “Though I would very much like to touch you.” Even as she spoke, her hand cupped the blonde's sex, nearly moaning herself at the heat she felt against her palm. Clarke's hands flew to her shoulders, clutching at her momentarily, before one quickly pulled away, guilt flashing briefly across her face.  
  
“Sorry,” she said, glancing at the red and raw skin on the same shoulder, the wound Lexa had received the day before still fresh, but the Commander shook her head.  
  
“You do not need to apologize,” she assured her. “I am fine. I want you to hold me.” As though to prompt her, Lexa dipped a finger through her folds and slid it down the length of Clarke's slit, the blonde unable to hold in a light gasp at the sudden movement, and her hand flew back to the shoulder. Without entirely thinking about it, Clarke grasped Lexa's shoulders, holding herself up on legs that had begun to tremble as anticipation once again flooded her system.  
  
“Touch me Lexa,” she all but demanded, an almost silent plea coloring the words. She met green eyes glimmering with amusement and tightened her hold on the brunette. Lexa's mouth dipped forward, capturing her lips in a long, messy kiss, even as she nodded. “Whatever you want, my love.”  
  
Those words came out as almost a whisper as Lexa pulled back, her hand sliding out of Clarke's pants. The queen let out a light huff of annoyance and she smiled before twisting them around, lightly pressing on the blonde's waist, urging her down to the bed. Clarke needed no more guidance than that and the moment she was on the bed Lexa was tugging at her pants and she was happily helping with their removal. Her pants and underwear joined the scattered clothing on the floor and then Clarke scooted back on the bed, watching with a mouth gone dry as Lexa climbed up to join her, never taking her eyes off the blonde.  
  
As though swept up in some crazy tidal wave, their bodies came crashing together, mouths easily connecting as hot skin pressed against hot skin. Clarke's hands slid into Lexa's hair, lightly gripping it to keep the brunette from pulling her mouth away, and Lexa willingly followed the guidance, more than happy to kiss the queen for as long as she wanted. She held herself haphazardly above the other girl, her skin burning at every juncture where Clarke's pressed against her own, and moaned lightly when the queen's back arched, her chest pushing up against the Commander's. Lexa nearly growled when she realized they both still wore their breast bands, desperate to feel all of the blonde's skin, and deftly began tugging Clarke's from her body. Their lips parted only long enough so she could slip the band over her head, and then before she'd even managed to toss it to the floor Clarke forced her mouth back down to meet her own. The kiss was hot and messy, barely controlled as the queen's fingers began tugging at the band still covering Lexa's chest, and Lexa might have laughed at the frantic tug if she too wasn't desperate for its removal. Finally Clarke tore it off, the two parting again so she could drop it to the floor, and this time before their next kiss she made sure to get a good look of the Commander now entirely bare above her. Lexa's breasts looked as beautiful as ever but entirely too neglected, and suddenly she regretted not giving them more attention earlier.  
  
Lexa clearly had a similar thought. She kissed Clarke once more, hard and deep, before shifting down the queen's body, and then Clarke's head pressed back into the mattress as she felt a hot mouth surround one nipple. Lexa's tongue skimmed around it, flicking over it incessantly for a few seconds, and a low moan tore out of the blonde's throat. The sound only spurned her on, one hand moving up to join her mouth, fingers now lightly pulling at the second nipple while she once again flicked her tongue over the first. Clarke's grip in her hair tightened, holding her against her chest as though she couldn't stand the thought of Lexa ever pulling away, and in the back of her mind Lexa couldn't help but agree. She would more than happily live the rest of her life right here if she could, and if she couldn't she would at least do her best to make every second feel like a lifetime.  
  
With Clarke's attention so entirely focused on what Lexa was doing to her chest, she was almost surprised she noticed when the Commander's other hand began to move. She did though, and as fingers lightly began trailing down her stomach, she felt the butterflies swarming in her gut practically double. Her skin trembled beneath Lexa's touch, her body knowing what to expect and still nowhere near prepared for it when two fingers slipped between her lips. Her hips naturally bucked against them, and she felt it as Lexa smiled against her breast. Without any preamble, those fingers slowly pushed inside her and she once again felt her head slam back into the mattress.  
  
“Lexa,” she moaned, eyes snapping shut. Those two fingers began to work in and out of her, every now and then pulling out to slide up and circle her clit. Every time they did her hips would buck harder, though whether that was due to the need to feel Lexa inside her again or from the stimulation against that bundle of nerves, she couldn't say.  
  
As much as Lexa loved Clarke's chest, before long she had to pull away from it, unable to feel the blonde moving so wonderfully beneath her without seeing as well. Her fingers pushed back inside her queen, curling up in the way she knew always drove the other girl crazy, and stared down at her love. Clarke's eyes had long ago closed, and one hand at some point had fallen from Lexa's hair, now clenching at the fur beneath them. Lexa's free hand moved to it, nudging against it lightly, not wanting to distract Clarke from the energy she knew must be building inside her. Within a second however the queen had abandoned her grip on the fur, furiously clenching the Commander's fingers between her own. Lexa's heart beat crazily in her chest, awed and so entirely in love with the woman beneath her.  
  
“Lek-sa,” Clarke moaned again, drawing the name out unintentionally, her love's name the only thing she seemed able to say at the moment. It seemed like every second that went by the other girl's pace had picked up, the slow gentle strokes eventually turning to hard, deep thrusts accentuated with a quick curl of her fingers every now and then, and the blonde knew her body wouldn't be able to take it for much longer. The butterflies in her stomach had swarmed together, creating what felt like one solid mass of frenzied fluttering, and as Lexa's fingers curled once again that swarm broke, a sudden white-hot heat blaring through her. Her hips snapped up in an uncontrollable thrust as her back arched, unable to even feel the sting of pain as her brand pressed harshly into the mattress below her.  
  
Lexa watched Clarke break so beautifully beneath her, her fingers slowing in their thrusts as the blonde's muscles constricted around them but never fully stopping. With her heaving chest and quaking hips, Lexa couldn't be entirely sure if Clarke had ever looked quite so beautiful as she did in this moment. She was more than happy to just watch, holding herself up on one elbow while her other hand continued to hold the queen's, while Clarke came undone beneath her.  
  
Finally all that remained of Clarke's orgasm were a few tiny intermittent pulses, and as she tried to swallow she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw when she did so was Lexa above her, a small smile on her lips as she stared down at her. Clarke returned the smile, squeezing the other girl's fingers lightly, and then gave the hand a light tug. She clearly didn't need to say anything, as the next moment Lexa lowered herself down, gently kissing the blonde. Unlike the previous ones, this kiss was soft, drawn out, almost lazy as their lips easily moved against one another.  
  
“Hmm,” Clarke let out as Lexa eventually pulled back, leaving enough space between them only so they could breathe. Her free hand lifted up, fingers running lightly over the Commander's jawline. “That was really good. We should really do that more often.” Lexa let out a light laugh as she shook her head, eyes bright with amusement. “You do not have to try to convince me,” she said, nuzzling her nose against Clarke's jaw. “I love touching you. I love you.” Clarke's grin softened, her heart that had only just begun to beat at a normal pace again aching wonderfully in her chest. “I love you too,” she murmured, dropping a light kiss to the top of Lexa's head, both feeling and hearing the hum the Commander gave as a response.  
  
For a long moment the two laid together like that, Lexa's body covering Clarke's, the queen more than happy to have the weight on top of her. Lexa's head remained tucked against her shoulder, and after a few minutes she began to wonder if maybe the Commander had fallen asleep until she felt Lexa let out a deep sigh. The next second Lexa was rolling off of her, falling to the mattress and laying with her back to the blonde. Clarke shot her a look, a little surprised.  
  
“Lexa, what are you doing?” she wanted to know. Normally they would spend a long time cuddling after sex, something that often led to a second or third round, and she felt kind of disappointed not having the other girl's skin against her own anymore.  
  
“I know you want to study it,” she heard Lexa say, voice a little muffled. Though she couldn't see the Commander's face, she could easily imagine green eyes closed, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Go ahead.” She reached up, pulling her hair so that it all fell over her shoulder, and Clarke's gaze shifted to the bare back now on full display in front of her. She couldn't quite contain her smile; leave it to Lexa to know what she wanted even before she did.  
  
Once again Clarke found herself staring at the symbol she'd grown up with on the Ark, but this time she didn't let it be the only one to hold her attention. Her fingers traced over it and then moved to the left, skimming over the Trikru symbol inked into Lexa's shoulder blade. She followed the circle all around the Commander's back, eyes drinking in each of the symbols as well as the two lines of kill marks that ran perpendicularly inside the circle. As her fingers ran over the thirteenth and final tattoo, the six straight lines that always made her think of a rickety ladder, she found herself thinking back to the story she'd heard earlier that night and what it had to do with this incredible girl beside her.  
  
“Do you remember any of it?” she heard herself asking, her voice soft in the quiet room as she continued to trace over the Boudalan symbol. “Your past lives, I mean? Or the lives of your past vessels, I guess?”  
  
For a second Lexa remained quiet but then as Clarke watched she turned, now laying on her back, body pressing closer to the queen's. She stared at the ceiling above them, brow furrowed just slightly as she shook her head.  
  
“No,” she answered, and then amended, “Not really. I don't remember anything that happened to my past vessels, it just... feels familiar.” She glanced over at Clarke, finding the blonde watching her intently, and continued. “When someone tells a story of something one of the past Commanders did I can picture it. It isn't as clear as a memory but it's... something. I'm sorry, it is difficult to explain.” She felt Clarke shrug beside her, as though silently telling her it was alright, and then the queen shifted closer to her, lifting her head to rest against Lexa's shoulder. Lexa smiled as one of Clarke's arms draped across her waist, holding her close while her fingers began tracing the swirling tattoo along her side. She let out a long, silent breath, settling easily into the feeling of her love against her, and closed her eyes. “They come to me in my dreams sometimes though. Not often, but sometimes.”  
  
“What do they say?” Clarke wanted to know, and Lexa shrugged the shoulder she wasn't laying on. “Usually they try to give me advise. Sometimes they try to argue with the decisions I have made. I changed their ways when I created the coalition; they are not always happy about it.”  
  
“Just one of the things that makes you the greatest Commander yet,” the queen murmured, turning to plant a light kiss against Lexa's collarbone. The brunette looked down at her, finding blue eyes staring up at her, and smiled softly. Clarke returned the smile and then turned further, pushing herself up so she could hover above the other girl for just a moment. She dropped a kiss to Lexa's lips, the Commander immediately returning it, and when she pulled away again the conversation seemed to drop off. Lexa closed her eyes again as Clarke's head returned to her shoulder, perfectly content to lose herself in the peace of the moment.  
  
“Do you think you'll remember me?” Clarke asked suddenly, once again breaking the silence. The Commander's eyes opened, glancing down at her love, feeling it as the blonde's fingers continued to lightly stroke against her side. “Many, many, _many_ years from now,” the queen continued, tapping the emphasis of her words out against her skin. “When your spirit's moved on to its next vessel. Do you think you'll remember me?”  
  
Lexa felt the corners of her mouth curl up, even as she turned them both, Clarke now shifting onto her back so that the Commander hovered above her. She looked down at the queen for a second, taking in the blonde hair spilling over the furs, the blue eyes caught on her own, and felt her heart flutter lightly in her chest. One day maybe she would realize what she had done to get so lucky that this amazing woman loved her, and until then she would just be thankful she did. Leaning forward, her lips pressed against the blonde's neck, eyes closing as she inhaled the smell of the woman she loved, easily getting lost in it.  
  
“I think we both know I will never be able to forget you, Clarke,” she murmured, arm tightening across the blonde's stomach. “Never.” She felt an arm curl along her back, those same fingers now pressing into her skin lightly while her other hand sought out Lexa's, their fingers twining together.  
  
“I like that answer,” she heard Clarke say as her grip tightened. “I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to forget you, either.” Lexa let out a small chuckle, nuzzling further into the other girl's neck, and then the two simply laid there, more than content to do nothing but hold onto the one person neither ever wanted to let go of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter and my telling of how the first Commander came about (and Wanheda too). As always, I'd love to know what you think!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> "Kefa, bro" - "Careful, brother"


	13. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who doesn't already know, writer's block really sucks. Like, a lot. I just finished this chapter which means I haven't edited it as much as I'd like, so I'm sorry for any mistakes!

Hair tickling her bare shoulders, Raven subconsciously shook her head, trying to keep the little wisps from sticking to her damp skin. The moment she'd woken up that morning she'd thrown the whole mass of thick hair into a ponytail, but today it seemed to have a mind of its own. Strands fought against the band holding them back, sticking to her sweaty shoulders and back, but she remained too focused to really notice anything other than the slight tickle of annoyance.  
  
As a few others walked around the camp, Raven sat on a log, hunched over her own lap. An old radio laid across her legs, its back removed so she could make out its inner workings. It had stopped working for one reason or another on their trip to the city and immediately had been given to the mechanic to fix. With everything going on she'd nearly forgotten about it, but an hour ago when she'd been trying to find something to do to keep her mind occupied she'd remembered and immediately pulled out the radio and the few tools she'd managed to bring with her. Now those tools sat on the log beside her, the back of the radio balancing on her other side, while she used a pair of pliers to easily strip some of the radio's wires. All around her Raven felt the humid heat of the morning pressing down, but other than wiping away the sweat from her forehead she ignored it.  
  
Footsteps moved behind her before she heard a soft _thud_ , nothing more than someone falling into a seat, and she looked up through her eyelashes as she remained bent over, seeing Miller now sitting on the log next to her own. He wore his guard uniform, the black padding looking far too hot in this killer heat, but he seemed to ignore it just as much as she did. He carried a branch about two feet long and as thick as Raven's wrist, and as she watched he pulled his knife from his belt. She let her focus fall back to her work, but heard a _snap_ as he broke the branch in half, and then he began sliding his knife against it, peeling away its bark. Neither said a word for a while, both keeping busy with their own project, but every now and then Raven would glance up again just to see him sitting there, whittling away at the branch.  
  
“What're you making?” she finally asked, breaking the silence. Her focus remained on the radio in her lap, but she could make out the image of him shrugging from the edge of her vision. “Dunno,” he answered, knife still peeling away the bark. “Just needed something to do.” He nodded towards the radio. “That the busted one?”  
  
“Not anymore,” she told him, grinning almost smugly. She continued to fiddle with it and wasn't surprised when he asked, “If it's fixed then why are you still screwing around with it?” Her grin fell a little and then it was her turn to shrug. “Thought I would see if I can boost its signal.” She sat back and twisted in place slightly, listening as her back cracked. Grabbing her chin she forced her head to the side and tilted it, making her neck crack as well. After sitting still for so long, the cracks all felt like a nice relief.  
  
“Any reason?” he wanted to know, glancing up from his branch and catching her eye. Looking around them she said, “With this whole thirteenth clan thing it seemed like a good idea. If trips to Polis are going to be a regular thing now we're probably gonna want to make sure our radios can reach from here to Arkadia. I should have thought of it sooner so Kane could take one back with him. I'm sure he and Abby would both be happier about all this if they could check in with each other.” Miller looked back down to his branch, knife once again sliding against it, but gave a single nod. “Good idea.”  
  
Raven returned the nod, but rather than look back at the radio she let herself study him for a second. She'd heard the opinions of almost everyone who'd come to Polis with them, but so far Miller had remained nearly silent on his own thoughts about what this new change would mean for all of them and she couldn't help but wonder where he stood.  
  
“So what do you think?” she asked, watching him work. “About us joining the Grounder's coalition?”  
  
For a second he did nothing but shrug as he worked at a knot in the branch, carefully working the knife against it. “Does it matter?” he wanted to know, not looking away from the knot and his knife. “What I think isn't exactly important; it's happening whether I want it to or not.”  
  
“That hasn't kept anyone else from complaining,” she told him with a roll of her eyes, thinking about how even as they'd walked back from last night's celebration she'd heard various people muttering about how insane this all was. She rolled her shoulders a couple of times to get the kinks out of them, still not taking her eyes off the young guard.  
  
“Yeah, I've noticed,” he replied with a slight snort. He added a little more pressure against the branch and suddenly the unwanted knot popped off, joining the rest of the strips of bark at his feet. Glancing up, he met her eyes. “Look, I'm just a soldier; how the hell should I know if this is a good idea or not? I don't make those kinds of calls.” He paused for a moment, glancing back down to the now almost bare branch, and lifted a single shoulder. “I will say this: I remember what it was like, those first couple of months. Everyone always afraid of whether or not the Grounders were gonna attack, and then trying to get out of Mount Weather. I don't miss it. If this is gonna keep that kind of crap from happening again, then okay.”  
  
“When you put it that way it almost sounds simple,” Raven muttered, staring down at the radio in her lap. She heard him let out something between a laugh and a snort, caught in his throat. “Like I said, I'm just a soldier,” he said, “I just do what I'm told. Mostly. You're one of the ones who actually has to make the decisions.”  
  
At that she looked up, an eyebrow lifting.  
  
“You think I make any of the decisions?” she scoffed. “I just fix shit and blow things up.”  
  
“Raven, how many times have you saved us?” he wanted to know, giving her a look. “We'da all been dead ten times over if you hadn't a come down when you did. You may not be Clarke or Bellamy but people still turn to you when shit's going down. Why do you think you were one of the ones Abby and Kane told about this whole thing before everyone else?” Raven rolled her eyes, trying not to admit even to herself that he had a point, and he just shook his head. Turning back to his knife and stick, he asked, “What about you? How do you feel about it?”  
  
The mechanic sat for a second, mulling the question over. “I'm not exactly happy,” she answered slowly, “But I know we need to do it. If we can make it through the next couple of weeks without any major blood spill I think it could all work out alright.” She shrugged then. “Besides, the Grounders aren't as bad as we thought. Not all of them, at least.”  
  
Miller nodded but then movement behind her seemed to draw his attention over her shoulder. “We'll see if he agrees,” he said, and Raven turned to see Bellamy following Abby out of the camp, probably on their way to the day's council meeting. Even with so much space between them, she could see how stiffly he moved. Despite what he might say to anyone else, it was clear to the two of them he still had some major doubts about this whole thing. To her credit, Abby walked easily, her head held high and shoulders relatively relaxed. At least their Chancellor looked like she wanted this thing to work.  
  
More movement caught Raven's attention, this time from behind Miller, and she turned to see Jasper and Monty coming out of one of the buildings they'd been given, Jasper's jaw clenched tightly while Monty frowned. “Bellamy's not the only one having a hard time with this,” she muttered and now it was Miller's turn to turn around. They watched as Monty followed Jasper around the camp, neither of the two boys saying anything, and then Miller sighed. Standing up, he slid his knife back into its spot at his belt and then brushed the few shavings from his uniform, tucking the now-bare branch into his belt as well.  
  
“I'd better go make sure Jasper isn't thinking of doing anything stupid,” Miller decided, picking a curl of bark off of his sleeve. “Good luck with the radio.” Raven nodded her thanks which he returned, and then he began making his way over to the two boys, leaving Raven once again alone with her tools.  
  
Her concentration now broken, it didn't take long for the mechanic to start fidgeting. Where before she'd been honed in on the radio, tuning out everything else around her, now she found it difficult to focus. Shouts from those around her kept making her look up, glancing from the Skaikru milling around their camp to the many Grounders making their way through the streets or trading goods from their stalls. The sun continued to beat down on her, sweat condensing and trickling down the nape of her neck while her shirt and ponytail tried to stick to her skin. Her shoulders felt stiff and her leg ached, the pain deep and pounding. Raven tried to ignore it all, but after fifteen minutes of minimal progress on the radio, she gave up. Letting out a frustrated huff, she stood up, collecting her tools and radio with her.  
  
After dropping everything off in her room, she looked around the camp, trying to decide what to do. She could see Monty, Jasper and Miller over by one of the wagons, Miller talking to his father while the other two picked through some of their supplies. Though they all seemed to be relatively content at the moment Raven decided to steer clear of them, knowing she didn't have nearly enough patience right now to deal with Jasper if he went into one of his moods. With Harper and Monroe gone back to Arkadia with Kane and Bellamy at the council meeting with Abby there wasn't anyone else around the camp she wanted to talk to, so she decided to go for a walk. The exercise she figured would be good for her leg and she'd barely spent any time exploring the city so far, so she took off without so much as a glance behind her.  
  
For a while Raven roamed down streets, trying to avoid the areas with the heaviest traffic. In some areas it was clear where the most popular stands were, throngs of people dispersed outside the stalls, so she ignored those streets, choosing instead to wander down those less crowded. No matter where she went she could feel people staring at her, some clearly identifying her as Skaikru while others simply gave her looks. The vendors behind the many booths didn't seem to care who she was, each of them shouting to her as much as they did anyone else or eyeing her over as she walked by them. She passed fires sizzling from the fat that dripped into them, strings of meat hung over the open flames. More plants and berries than she could possibly identify laid out in bowls on counters as their vendors tried to draw attention to them. Still more stalls housed clay pots and vases, furs and other hides from animals she could only wonder at, clothing in colors so vivid and bright it almost hurt to look at. She soaked it all in as she wandered aimlessly, amazed at the life around her.  
  
“Raven,” she heard behind her suddenly, and turned from the charcoal picture she'd been staring at to find Taigon and his guard not far behind her. The healer seemed surprised to see her but that surprise quickly wiped away, an easy smile replacing it. They moved towards her, and Raven watched as the few people around her, who had up until that moment been ignoring her for the most part, eyed first the healer and then her.  
  
“Hey Taigon,” she said as the distance between them closed, returning his smile with a half grin. Looking past him at the man trailing behind him, she had to wrack her brain for a second to remember his name, but then her smile grew a little as it came to her. “Renn.”  
  
“Raven,” the older man replied with a slight nod, and though he looked at her she had a feeling he was paying more attention to everyone around them than her or his charge. Taigon however had his entire focus on her, glancing at the picture she'd been looking at and then back. “Do you like it?”  
  
She shrugged. “It's nice,” she told him, gaze returning to the picture for just a second. It was a landscape, trees and a stream drawn in great detail, but she preferred looking at the real thing over a sketch. “It just caught my eye as I was going by. Thought I'd spend some time exploring the city.” He nodded, flashing a quick smile at the man behind the counter, before moving on, and for one reason or another Raven fell in step with him, Renn following just behind them.  
  
“There is much to see in Polis,” Taigon agreed, his smile still directed at her even as he looked around them. “I have lived here all my life and still do not think I have seen it all.”  
  
“It's impressive, that's for sure,” Raven said, also looking around her. “Definitely beats growing up on the Ark.”  
  
“That is the name of your home, sha?” he asked, looking back at her and she nodded. “Yeah, it's what we called the station we all grew up on. It was just a big hunk of metal floating in space. Lot of people, not much to do or see.” Excited screeching broke through the conversation and they both turned to see a gaggle of children weaving around a number of stalls, two dogs running along with them while some of the vendors they passed shouted after them. None of the kids seemed to even hear it, all still laughing as they ran by. Raven's eyes followed them for a moment, her grin growing. “This place is much more exciting.”  
  
“I am glad you are not bored in our city,” Taigon told her, a slight teasing in his voice. “It would be unfortunate if you did not wish to come back after you leave.” His smile shifted into a bit of a smirk and then he added, “But I have a feeling you can always find something to keep you busy wherever you are.” She shot him a grin and lifted a single shoulder. “I can usually find something to entertain myself with, yeah.” Lifting an eyebrow, she asked, “What about you? You've probably explored this place more than a hundred times; what were you doing before we ran into each other?”  
  
Taigon's smirk fell away, his expression smoothing out in a way she was learning was supposed to hide his emotions. He wasn't great at it: she could see worry creeping into his eyes, saw it in the slight crinkle of his brow. He looked ahead of them, no longer meeting her gaze as he answered, “My sister does not want me standing outside the council room as she meets with the clan leaders anymore. I am trying to... distract myself.”  
  
Raven shot him a look, studying him. “You still think something's gonna happen.” She noticed his jaw clench for a second and then relax, and as it did his shoulders sank.  
  
“I do not know,” he replied honestly. “But it might.” Turning back towards her, he shook his head. “I know these clans and their leaders: it will take more than Lexa's word to make them trust Skaikru or Wanheda. They have heard many stories and consider you a threat. They will not wish to anger their Commander but they also will not do something they believe might endanger their people. Asher's defeat will stop them from trying anything for a little while, but if Lexa, Clarke and your Chancellor cannot convince them soon then yes, I think something more will happen.”  
  
Raven frowned, not surprised by what he said but certainly not liking it. Head tilting back, she stared up at the sky, watching as a cloud drifted by so slowly it barely even moved. “It seems pretty impossible,” she murmured and could practically feel him watching her. “We get out of one mess where we're all gonna die and end up in another.” Suddenly she surprised him, her lips pursing and brow furrowing in fierce determination. “Screw that. We've made it through worse than this.” Her fist hit her hip, the dull force traveling down her leg as the phantom memory of a drill washed over her. “We'll get through this too.” One corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile then as she added, “Clarke's too damn stubborn for it to go any other way.”  
  
Taigon watched her for a moment, studying the quirk of her smile and determination still clear in her expression, and knew Clarke wasn't the only stubborn one who would make sure this alliance went through. Though it didn't put an end to his worry, he felt his lips pull up into a small smile, unable to hold it back. “We will all make sure this works,” he agreed, giving a nod. “Whether the clan leaders like it or not.”

***

Thom tried to sit still while Lincoln looked over his palms and knees, doing his best not to wince as the big warrior gently ran the weird cream over his new scrapes. Somehow while they were training that morning he managed to trip over his own feet, and even now almost an hour later some of the bigger scrapes continued to bleed sluggishly whenever he clenched his fists, the wounds continuously opening back up. He hadn't minded quite so much at first when Clarke stopped training to take a look at them, but now they were back at the camp and she'd needed to get ready for the day's council meeting. That meant he had to try to sit still while Lincoln rubbed weird sticky cream over his knees and palms and he wasn't at all happy about it. The cream made the scrapes sting, and while he liked Lincoln, he wasn't the person Thom wanted taking care of him.  
  
“I think if I just...” Reese muttered behind him, and Thom didn't have to look to know she was trying out a new move she'd seen Heda and Aden working on earlier. It was some sort of spin that was supposed to knock an opponent's feet out from under them, but so far she hadn't been able to do it without falling over. Sure enough, the next thing he heard was a soft, “Oof” and then the sound of someone falling in the dirt, and Thom rolled his eyes.  
  
“You almost have it,” Octavia said, standing just past Thom's shoulder and watching Reese. “You just need to work on keeping your balance on one leg while the other takes out your opponent. Like this.” Out of the corner of his eye, Thom saw Octavia spin and drop at the same time, one leg shooting out at what would be an opponent's legs while she balanced easily on the other. She looked almost as good at is as Heda had. Without even taking a second, she easily pushed herself right back up, the entire move one fluid motion. “Once you get that balance down, you'll have it no problem.”  
  
“Balance,” Thom heard Reese repeat almost to herself, and he shifted a little to glance over his shoulder, watching as she tried again. She wobbled as she spun but almost had it, this time only falling over when she was close to the ground. He heard her mutter something as she pushed herself back up, glaring at the dirt, and bit his lip to keep himself from grinning. Sometimes it was kind of funny how seriously she took her training while other times he just found it annoying. Right now it was funny as she tried spinning again, landing hard on her butt when the one leg couldn't support her as much as she needed it to, and Thom almost couldn't hide his grin. Looking back in front of him, he thought he saw Lincoln's lips twitch, and wondered if maybe he hadn't contained his grin as well as he'd thought.  
  
“You're getting it,” Octavia assured Reese, reaching down and helping the younger girl back up. She didn't try to hide her grin when she saw the little warrior wince, instead telling her, “Your bruises help teach you what you're doing wrong. Indra used to tell me if I wasn't bruised I wasn't training hard enough.” Reese let out a little laugh, apparently agreeing, while Thom shook his head. He preferred doing things that didn't leave him peppered with bruises and scrapes and couldn't wait until they'd be able to do something other than training with Clarke and Heda.  
  
As though the queen knew he was thinking about her, only a minute later she made her way over to them, eyes skimming over their group and then around the rest of the camp. Thom watched her, no longer paying any attention to the little stings he felt from the cream Lincoln kneaded into one palm. He could tell she was looking for something and tilted his head a little when she frowned.  
  
“Where's Ontari?” she asked, still looking around the camp. Thom glanced around quickly, finding Roan and Jojesh both behind Clarke, Niylah at the trading stand and Sef with his grandparents by one of the wagons, but he didn't see Ontari anywhere.  
  
“I think she went off by herself a while ago,” Lincoln answered, looking up at the queen as he finished with his patient. “I have not seen her come back.” Thom noticed Clarke clench her jaw for a quick second, clearly thinking something over before she looked back at their group. Her eyes landed on Reese and he thought she might have let out a silent sigh.  
  
“Alright Reese, I guess you're coming with me then,” she stated. “You wanted to go to a council meeting and now I guess you can.”  
  
“Really?” Reese asked, clearly excited. Behind the queen, Jojesh took a small step forward, looking over at Roan out of the corner of his eyes. “Ubroukai, maybe I should go with you,” he suggested causing Reese to glare at him, but the queen shook her head. “Reese is my Second, Jojesh, if Ontari isn't coming then it should be her. We won't have any problems.” As she finished she met Roan's eyes, holding his gaze for a second longer than usual and the big warrior simply returned the look calmly, giving nothing about his thoughts away. Jojesh gave him another look, obviously not too happy about it, but knew better than to try to argue with her any further. “Sha, Ubroukai,” he simply said, taking a step back again, and Clarke nodded at him.  
  
While Jojesh tried to convince her to take him to the council meeting, Thom glared at them. “I wanna go!” he declared as soon as the big warrior stepped back. “If Reese gets to go, then I wanna go too!” He tried not to whine but felt it creep into his voice, only making him glare more.  
  
As Reese moved over to Clarke, the queen turned to him, her expression softening a little even as she shook her head. “I'm sorry Thom, but I can only have two people with me, remember?” she reminded him. “Besides, you'd be really bored. All Reese is going to be doing is standing there while the clan leaders all talk about trades and other really boring things; you'll have way more fun staying here.” That answer did nothing to appease him, and his scowl just deepened.  
  
“Then how come she gets to go?” he wanted to know, fingers curling up into fists he quickly placed against his hips. The cream on his palms felt gross, sliding against his fingers, but for the moment he ignored it. “It's not fair: she got to sit with you last night too!”  
  
“Cause I'm her Second and I'm older,” Reese replied, crossing her arms over her chest and standing proudly beside Clarke. Thom stuck his tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes, apparently too grown up to return the gesture. Clarke ignored the argument and gestures, instead taking a few steps forward so she could wrap an arm around his shoulders.  
  
“I'm sorry Thom, you can't come to this meeting but I promise we'll do something fun soon, okay?” she said, obviously trying to make him feel better. “I know this doesn't seem fair, but these meetings really are boring. I promise you're not missing anything.”  
  
“Can we do something besides training tomorrow?” he wanted to know, his scowl falling away a little even as Reese made up for it with her own. Clarke smiled, her grip on his shoulder tightening for a second as she nodded. “Sure; tomorrow we'll find something else to do other than training. That sounds like a good idea.”  
  
“But Claaarke,” Reese tried, and the queen raised an eyebrow at her, effectively cutting her off with a loud sigh. “Fine. Can we go now?” Clarke nodded, giving Thom another quick smile as she pulled away, and then that smile shifted into something more serious as she turned to Octavia and Lincoln. “Can you two see if you can find Ontari?” she asked, “And maybe find out what she's doing?” She didn't have to say anymore, her worry and suspicion clearly understood as both warriors nodded.  
  
“Sure Clarke, we'll find her,” Octavia replied as Lincoln stood up from where he'd been kneeling. “We'll make sure she isn't up to anything.” Lincoln nodded his agreement and Clarke flashed them a grateful smile. “Thanks.”  
  
“Try the training fields,” Roan suggested. All three looked at him, Clarke managing to hide her surprise at his help while Octavia's eyes widened for just a second. He met their looks, his expression not giving anything away as usual. “That is probably where she is.”  
  
“He's right,” Clarke agreed, nodding. “Give those a try first.” Looking back at the large warrior, she added, “Thank you, Roan.” He just gave a simple nod, not saying anything else.  
  
“Alright, we'll see what we can do, Clarke,” Octavia told her, already beginning to walk away with Lincoln beside her. “Good luck in your meeting.”  
  
“You too,” the queen called before her two warriors took off to the streets. The moment the crowds of people had swallowed them up, she took a silent breath and looked back to Roan and Reese. Gesturing for them to follow, she said, “Come on, we'll be late if we don't leave now.” Glancing down at Thom, still pouting slightly, she gave him a smile and a gentle squeeze of his shoulder. “Listen to Niylah while we're gone, okay Thom?” He wanted to argue again, try to convince her to take him with them, but knew it'd be no use. So instead he just nodded, earning him another smile from the blonde, before she and the other two left also, disappearing into the crowd just as Octavia and Lincoln had.  
  
He watched them go, standing at the edge of their camp for a few seconds longer, and then let out a dejected sigh. So far this trip wasn't anything like he'd hoped it would be. He'd been so excited to come to Polis, thinking that Heda would finally be with them again and they could have fun like they used to. He wanted it to be like it was back at the library, back when Clarke and Heda first found them and they'd been able to have fun, but nothing about this trip was turning out to be fun for him. So far all it had been was waiting around for the two leaders to get back from one meeting or another and hurting himself in training. He wanted story time and piggyback rides and maybe some other games with his two favorite people, not being left behind while Reese got to go spend time with them.  
  
“Thom,” he heard behind him, and felt a hand settle on his shoulder. Looking up, he found Niylah suddenly beside him, smiling gently down at him. “Will you come help us?” She motioned back, and he turned to see Kila now standing behind the trading stand, smiling and talking quickly to the few people on its other side as Sef constantly moved in her arms, trying to get down. The grandmother held him without any problem, very much used to her active grandson, but Thom almost sighed, not in the mood to deal with the rambunctious toddler. Nevertheless he nodded, and then only dragged his feet a little as Niylah led them back to the stand.  
  
Someone had placed a little stool behind the counter and Niylah helped him climb up it, now high enough to easily see over the many different items spread out in front of him. He'd seen it all before, had even helped load the wagons back in Keerie after Clarke and Niylah had decided what was best to bring, so barely paid attention to any of it. The people on the other side of the stand eyed it all over, and whenever they spoke it was in Trigedasleng, often times too fast for Thom to understand so he tuned them out as well. He'd started learning the foreign language not long after Clarke became queen and usually liked listening as people talked, trying to see how much he could understand, but at the moment all he wanted to think about was how he'd been left out again. Leaning forward, he crossed his arms on an empty bit of the counter and then let his head drop to them. Chin pressing lightly into his wrist, he stared ahead of him, frowning. He could feel both Niylah and Kila glancing down at him every now and then, but both were too busy to try to get him out of his funk.  
  
Suddenly a large hand appeared in front of his face, his eyes widening as they focused on it and the faded red ball held lightly in long fingers. The ball was obviously old but in good condition, and Thom glanced up, eyes following the arm to the man holding it. Light eyes looked down at him, the man's mouth quirked into half a smile beneath a bushy beard.  
  
“For me?” Thom asked, glancing between the ball still in front of him and the man grinning down at him. Hesitantly he reached out, taking the ball from the man, half expecting him to pull it away, but the man simply released his grip on it, letting him take it.  
  
“Smile,” was all the man said, still grinning at him, and at that Thom did smile, the corners of his lips slowly turning up. That just made the man's grin grow before he nodded. He looked back over the counter in front of him, eyeing over the various goods there, before grabbing a small knife with a smooth handle made of sea glass. Holding the knife up, he met Niylah's eyes, the young woman having watched the entire encounter, and simply nodded. “Mochof,” he said, the ball clearly an exchange for the knife. Any other time Niylah would have argued, the knife clearly worth more than a simple ball, but she just smiled and nodded. This was the first time she'd seen Thom this happy possibly since they arrived at Polis, the boy grinning from ear to ear as he studied his new treasure.  
  
“Os kof op,” she agreed and he nodded before turning around and beginning to walk away.  
  
Thom was so busy studying his new toy that for a second he forgot about the man who'd given it to him. By the time he remembered and looked up, the man was already nearly to the street again. “Mochof!” he yelled, waving frantically, his other fist held tightly to the ball. The man glanced over his shoulder, flashed him another smile, and then continued on his way. Thom watched him go, suddenly not quite so sad about being left behind. Reese was in a meeting probably bored out of her mind and he'd gotten a new toy: that seemed kind of alright to him.

***

“We should probably split up,” Octavia suggested, glancing over at Lincoln beside her as they made their way through a crowded street. “There's a lot of training grounds in this city; we'll have better luck finding Ontari if we aren't searching together.” She noticed his lips purse and the corner of his eyes narrow into a frown, but he nodded.  
  
“You're right,” he agreed, gaze always following those around them. “I'll take the northeast training grounds, you start with the southwest.” She nodded, but even as she did he reached out, grasping her hand for a brief second. Looking over again, she found him entirely focused on her. “Be careful if you find her,” he warned, his normally dark eyes bright with concern. She gave him a half smile and returned his grip. “You too,” she just said. He nodded and then they broke apart, each heading in their given direction.  
  
As Octavia made her way through the streets of Polis, she tried to walk calmly, but couldn't help worrying. Ontari had been a problem ever since she found out about Clarke's defeat over Nia. While it seemed like everyone else in the Ice Nation was happy in one way or another to be rid of their old queen, Ontari clearly held a grudge. Octavia could see it in the way she looked at Clarke, how she addressed her and treated those loyal to her, and it was obvious Clarke knew it too. It almost felt as though both were waiting for the other to make some kind of move, and that waiting was putting Octavia on edge. Here in a city brimming with people who hated the idea of a Sky Person becoming queen of one of their clans, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe the waiting was finally coming to an end. Coming to the first training ground, she scanned those there, frowning when she didn't find Ontari. She wouldn't put it past the warrior to use these next few days to try to build an army against Clarke, and those thoughts spurned her on, determined to stop her before anything like that could happen.  
  
Her search came to an end as she reached the second training ground. A small group of people were spread out, a few pairs sparring along the open ground while the others watched on, many calling out encouragement or jeers. She could tell from the different styles of clothing and markings on many of them that at least five of the clans were represented and she quickly went through what she knew of the clans to identify them. A warrior from the Plains Riders fought against one from the Broadleaf Clan, while another pairing seemed to be comprised of someone from the Rock Line Clan and from the Blue Cliff Clan. The onlookers seemed to be from each of those clans, while some from the Desert Clan watched the third fight, one of their own fighting Ontari. None of the pairings used any weapons, but even so Octavia wasn't entirely sure they could be classified as friendly fights, watching as a few of the hits that landed seemed to have more power behind them than was entirely necessary.  
  
Having found Ontari and seeing that for the moment at least she wasn't up to anything, Octavia decided to just stand among the onlookers and observe the matches to see the different fighting styles, until Ontari's opponent caught sight of her. His head cocked slightly to the side, looking at her curiously, and his sudden lack of attention caused Ontari to turn. The moment she saw her, her eyes narrowed.  
  
“Skaigada,” she all but spat, expression contorting in contempt. She turned just enough and then spat, spittle landing not far from Octavia's feet before turning back to her partner. Octavia's jaw clenched, trying to control her temper as she stood her ground.  
  
“Ai laik Azgeda, seintaim yu,” she called back in perfect Trigedasleng. The few people standing on the sidelines beside her stepped back, putting space between her and Ontari as they glanced between the two girls. An obvious energy fizzled in the air, and even the other two pairs of fighters had stopped now, watching to see how this would play out.  
  
“Yu sou non Azgeda,” Ontari growled, turning around again and taking a step towards the other girl. “Yu laik Skaikru, veida.” The last word caused those watching to narrow their eyes, clearly suspicious of this foreigner who'd fallen from the sky, but Octavia ignored them. Instead she took a step forward too, mirroring Ontari's, and stood her ground.  
  
“Kwin Klark teik ai in bilaik Azgeda,” she reminded her, refusing to break eye contact. “Ai _laik_ Azgeda.”  
  
“Klark kom Skaikru non laik kwin kom ain!” Ontari declared, fire in her voice as she took another step forward, fingers curling into fists at her side. Octavia didn't even wait a second, instead followed with her own step, the distance between the two quickly diminishing and as it did the energy in the air around them seemed to spike.  
  
“Ubroukai win au throudon,” she stated, choosing to use the title to remind everyone listening just how impressive that win had been. “Em frag op Naia; Klark laik kwin.”  
  
When she first got to the ground, Octavia wouldn't have been fast enough to evade Ontari's attack. As it was she barely ducked out of the way in time, but after months of training with Indra, Lincoln and now many others, she recognized the attack for what it was the moment she saw Ontari's shoulder shift. She ducked just as the fist flew out, connecting with the air where her head had been only a split second earlier. Popping right back up as she took a quick step to the side, her own fist flew out, ready to connect with the other girl's face, but Ontari shifted and blocked it, her arm catching Octavia's wrist and pushing the attack away. With that the crackling energy that seemed to have been floating around them settled into the two warriors' skin, and without another word both immediately fell into the battle.  
  
Before Octavia could pull her fist back, Ontari's arm shifted, snaking around her own, and then she felt a vice-like grip as fingers tightened at her elbow, the other girl's thumb digging painfully into the soft flesh of the crook. Ontari grabbed and then tucked forward, her other hand joining the first, and Octavia's eyebrows rose as her feet suddenly left the ground, her entire body lifted up and thrown over the other girl's shoulder. She'd heard stories about her, knew she'd been Nia's go-to warrior more often than not, but still hadn't been expecting that kind of strength from Ontari. Pushing past the surprise, she twisted in the air just enough so that when she came down she wouldn't land on anything too important, and then quickly rolled right back up to her feet, already prepared for the next attack.  
  
It came quickly; Ontari barely waited a second after she'd released her opponent and then she was running forward, hate filling her eyes as the space once again closed between them. Octavia didn't wait for her to reach her, instead choosing to run as well, and this time it was her turn to land a blow. As soon as her opponent was close enough she stepped to the side at the last second, evading Ontari's attack while her arm curled in front of her and her elbow lashed out, catching the other girl hard in the stomach. Ontari let out a grunt as she stepped back, just barely wincing at the blow, but otherwise didn't let it show she'd even felt it. Her fist lashed out again and Octavia blocked it, pushing it away and immediately moving into a punch of her own. Ontari ducked and caught her wrist, holding onto it tightly as she yanked the other girl forward, trying to pull her into another attack. The other warrior gripped her too tightly to pull away from, so Octavia stepped into the pull, throwing her weight at Ontari. Not expecting it, the two fell back as Octavia's shoulder rammed into Ontari's chest.  
  
Now on the ground, Octavia should have had the upper hand with her weight bearing down on the other girl, but Ontari didn't give her a chance to use the advantage. Without warning her legs wrapped around Octavia's waist, squeezing tightly while her other hand shot up, grabbing onto her shoulder. Before Octavia could do anything Ontari's head shot forward, her forehead connecting with her own. She grunted, pain exploding behind her eyes, but tried to push it away even as she felt the warrior beneath her throwing their combined weight to the side. The next moment it was Octavia's back pressed against the dirt with Ontari on top of her, her knees still digging into her waist.  
  
“Scared Sky girl?” she taunted, a smug smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. Her grip tightened on Octavia's wrist, fingernails digging into tender flesh, but Octavia didn't so much as wince. “Never,” she growled, and then she thrust up with as much power as she could, trying to dislodge the girl on top of her. The movement was enough to get her to let go of her wrist as she tried to maintain her upper hand, and the moment Octavia's hand was free it shot out, catching her in the throat. Ontari gasped as her airway was momentarily blocked, and even as she tried to breathe Octavia's other fist flew out to connect with her nose. Ontari ducked and rolled off of her and Octavia rolled the opposite way, both trying to put a little distance between them as they regrouped. Pushing herself up to her feet again, it was Octavia's turn to smirk as she caught sight of her opponent, a steady stream of blood trickling from her nose. “I am not afraid. _You_ don't scare me, Ontari.”  
  
Still kneeling on the ground, the other warrior looked up, and Octavia's eyes widened when she saw the shift in the other girl's expression. Before Ontari had been furious, nothing but anger and hate filling her eyes, but now she saw something else there, something that she couldn't quite name but recognized immediately. It was as though every emotion running through her had somehow settled, a sense of almost calm washing over her, and Octavia watched as the freedom that calm brought her shone in her eyes. For some reason the familiarity of that look unnerved her, but she didn't have time to think about why as her opponent stood up slowly.  
  
“Not bad,” Ontari said, wiping some of the blood away with the pad of her thumb. She glanced down at the bright red and then smirked. “You will not get another hit.”  
  
“Don't be so sure,” Octavia called, and to her surprise Ontari's smirk just grew. The girl's head tilted slightly to the side, as though it were an invitation for her to try, and for a drawn out second they both just stood there, eyeing each other while those on the sidelines watched just as silently. Finally Ontari shot forward again, and Octavia shifted, bouncing lightly on her feet as pure adrenaline pulsed through her.  
  
This time when Ontari attacked, neither slowed down, each just trading blows. Ontari threw another punch and Octavia jumped back, narrowly avoiding it. Almost before she'd even taken a breath she shifted all her weight to one foot, the other lifting and then shooting out towards Ontari's stomach. The hit landed but only because the other girl didn't even try to evade it, and even as pain erupted along her abdomen she reached out and grabbed the ankle. With a harsh tug she yanked the leg towards her, pulling Octavia behind it, and then her elbow shot out as her upper body twisted, connecting squarely with her chin. Octavia's teeth clacked forcefully together, her tongue caught between them, and immediately she felt blood flooding her mouth.  
  
She didn't have any time to think about the blood or sharp pain now emanating from her tongue. Ontari released her ankle and before her foot had even made it back to the ground she was attacking again, both fists flying forward. Octavia blocked as much as she could but Ontari's speed made it difficult to stop each punch, and more than once she felt knuckles strike against the areas she wasn't quite able to defend. As she tried to fend off as many hits as she could, she couldn't help but begrudgingly admire the other girl's form. Ontari was good, there was no denying it, and as much as she didn't like the girl herself she had to respect her skill. Still, she wasn't about to let Ontari win this fight, especially not with others still watching. She followed all of the other girl's movements, waiting for her opportunity to turn the tide of the match, and almost grinned the second she saw it.  
  
Ontari struck out once again but this time Octavia anticipated it. At the last second she blocked the attack and grabbed the other girl's wrist, holding it just as tightly as she'd held hers earlier. Ontari tried to yank her arm back but couldn't, and instead winced when Octavia's opposite elbow came down hard on the trapped arm. The force wasn't quite enough to break it but both knew the bruise that would be left behind because of it would last for days.  
  
Ontari scrambled, trying to get out of the other girl's grip. Her wrist still held tightly, her nails scratched furiously at the underside of the other girl's arm, bits of skin and blood now embedded beneath them. Octavia hissed and released her, finding three clear marks bleeding lightly along her forearm. Rather than take the time to look at the new wound, she just shook her arm lightly, using the movement to distract her. Across from her Ontari breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling in short bursts, but rather than look tired she almost seemed more exhilarated than ever. Her eyes shone bright with what might be excitement, lips curled up in the smallest of smiles and what surprised Octavia most of all was the fact she knew she had nearly the same expression. Her heart beat wildly in her chest not out of fear or because of her many minor injuries, but from simple adrenaline. She felt a rush she couldn't describe, the same one she got whenever she faced an opponent she really had to work to beat, and she read that same rush in Ontari's eyes.  
  
She didn't have time to really think over this new observation; nearly the same second she made it, Ontari started forward again, grinning as she ran towards her opponent. From behind her Octavia saw the crowd watching them had grown but she didn't let her focus stray from the other warrior, entirely aware the moment she did she would have lost the fight. Again she began bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet, in anticipation and excitement all rolled up into one. Ontari cleared the space between them and came in with a kick, attempting to swipe her opponent's feet out from under her but Octavia managed to avoid it and threw another punch immediately followed by another, aiming for the soft spot of her stomach she'd already hit a few times. Unable to entirely avoid the first one, Ontari threw herself to the side, taking the punch just above her hip and then shoved herself into the other girl. Her elbow drove into Octavia's stomach, the force driving the air out of her lungs but she stood her ground even as she struggled to breathe. Ontari shifted to attack again but Octavia stepped around her, rolling against the other fighter to get behind her and before the other girl could do anything else she grabbed a fistful of Ontari's shirt and spun, forcing her to move with her. With her back to Octavia, Ontari had no way of easily releasing herself from the grip and had to stumble to try to keep up with the force of the spin. Their momentum up, Octavia suddenly let go of her shirt, and Ontari stumbled forward, nearly face-planting into the ground. She just managed to keep herself from going all the way down, falling hard to one knee, the force of the fall jarring her enough to make her clench her teeth. For the first time in a long time exhaustion had begun to tug at her limbs, but the young warrior pushed herself back up quickly, knowing better than to leave her back exposed to her enemy.  
  
When Ontari turned, she had a perfect view of the crowd gathered along the side of the training field, and suddenly her eyes narrowed, lips curling up into a smirk that no longer matched her earlier smile. Octavia frowned, feeling something in the air shift between them, and watched as her opponent's focus left her entirely and shifted to someone behind her. Turning back while still trying to keep Ontari in her peripherals in case this was some kind of trick, she finally actually allowed herself to look at the new members of the crowd. Most were people she didn't know, still a mixture of people from various clans, but at the front her focus immediately went to Lincoln, her boyfriend never once taking his eyes off her, the little crease between his eyes telling her he was worried. Standing beside him was Raven, her friend's hands clenched into fists, while the Commander's brother stood beside her.  
  
Apparently he was the one who'd distracted the other warrior, Ontari now refusing to look at anyone but him as she began walking towards the crowd. She walked proudly, head held high with a glint in her eyes even as blood continued to slowly drip from her nose.  
  
“ _Teigon_ ,” she said, something in her tone making Octavia shift, glancing between the two of them. “ _Your sister let you out to play. You must be happy._ ”  
  
“ _Ontari,_ ” Taigon replied coolly, his posture remaining entirely relaxed despite the fact she was all but stalking towards him. “ _I am happy, yes. It's good to see all the clans gathered together._ ”  
  
“ _You must enjoy seeing everyone, getting to hear stories about life outside of Polis,_ ” she commented. One corner of her mouth rose a little higher as she added, “ _Since you don't get to see anything else._ ”  
  
“ _Actually I've been leaving Polis more often lately,_ ” he told her. “ _It seems my sister has been less concerned about that lately. I even traveled to Kiri earlier this year and was able to see the rise of your new queen._ ”  
  
That immediately wiped the smirk off her face. Teeth clenching, the warrior's hands curled into fists, and those watching knew she was wishing she had her knife on her. She took a quick step forward and Octavia countered it, trying to place herself between the again furious girl and her target, but before she could somebody else stepped between them. The man, obviously Taigon's guard, drew the sword he carried in one simple movement, an obvious warning flashing in his eyes.  
  
“ _Do not try it,_ ” he suggested, his voice quiet but hard. “ _It will not end well for you._ ” A number of the other warriors standing in the crowd circled closer to the healer, all facing Ontari and giving her the same look despite all being from different clans. While they apparently hadn't had any problem watching the two Ice Nation warriors bruise and bloody each other up, it appeared none of them would stand back and allow Ontari to threaten their Heda's kin. Ontari's eyes flitted quickly over all of them, clearly trying to decide how to play this, and then her scowl seemed to melt away, an easy grin replacing it.  
  
" _I don't know what you're talking about,_ ” she stated, eyes flicking from the guard directly in front of her to the healer just behind him. “ _We were just having a friendly chat. Teigon._ ” She nodded as she said his name and he returned it.  
  
“ _Ontari,_ ” he replied. “ _I am always happy to talk. Like you said, I enjoy hearing stories of beyond Polis._ ” Her grin grew at that but she didn't say anything, instead turned around, the entire group of defensive warriors at her back. She walked away from them easily, as though she didn't have a care in the world. Passing Octavia, she glanced towards her and nodded again.  
  
“I look forward to our next match, Sky girl,” she informed her. Tongue darting out and wiping quickly over her top lip still sticky with drying blood, her grin grew. “I owe you.”  
  
“You're welcome to try to repay me,” Octavia said before spitting to her side. Some of the blood she still tasted from her bitten tongue shone against the dirt and she raised an eyebrow. “I owe you too.” Ontari looked like she was trying to keep her grin in check and down play her amusement but Octavia was pretty sure she caught a flash of it in brown eyes before they looked away. At that Ontari continued on her way, stepping back into the streets of Polis and disappearing amongst the many people there.  
  
It didn't take long after she left for those gathered around to see the show had ended, and a number of those in the small crowd paired off again, the duos stepping out onto the training field to test their own skills. Rather than join them, Octavia made her way over to the people she knew, Lincoln reaching out to her the moment she was close enough. His fingers moved to her face, lightly cupping her cheeks, and he tilted her head up, eyes scanning over her and taking in any and all wounds there.  
  
“I'm fine,” she told him, trying to flash him a smile, but couldn't entirely hold back a small wince as the spot where she'd bitten her tongue throbbed. During the fight she'd been able to ignore it, the pain barely even registering to her, but now that it was over her entire body suddenly began to ache, reminding her of every hit Ontari'd managed to land. Her one consolation was knowing Ontari was likely feeling just as sore.  
  
“Clarke told us to find Ontari, not fight her,” Lincoln reminded her. Even with his worried frown, his fingers were gentle against her skin, the touch barely there, and she felt herself lean into it a little. “Wasn't my intention to fight her,” she replied, and then shrugged. “But I'm not sorry I did.” Despite his concern, she saw a crack in his expression, and then his lips turned up in a slight smile. “You would not be you if you were.”  
  
“It would be best if you do not encourage your enemy,” they heard, and both turned to see Taigon's guard stepping back, re-sheathing his sword as he did so. Head tipped down a little, he looked up at his charge through his eyelashes. “Only fools ask for a fight they cannot possibly win.”  
  
“Yeah, I didn't exactly get all of that, but it's pretty clear she doesn't like you and your tone did seem to kind of be egging her on,” Raven added, arms crossing in front of her as she raised an eyebrow at the healer. Jerking her thumb towards Octavia, she continued, “By the looks of her, she's really not someone you want to meet alone.”  
  
“I wanted to see what she would do,” he replied, looking back towards the street where the Azgeda warrior had disappeared. “She seems... lost.”  
  
“I think crazy's the word you're looking for,” Raven supplied, also glancing over to where they'd last seen the girl in question. “Nothing but crazy. She's probably plotting some kind of attack as we speak.”  
  
Taigon immediately shook his head.  
  
“No,” he stated, looking back at the mechanic. “Nia was the plotter: Ontari simply did as she was told. She is a fierce warrior, yes, but without her queen to direct her, I do not think she knows what to do.”  
  
“I think you're right,” Octavia agreed slowly, thinking back to how the other girl had acted for the past three months. She hated Clarke, that was no secret, and hated anyone who followed her, but other than snide remarks or threatening looks, she'd never done anything about it. Honestly she'd probably had numerous opportunities to try to take out the new queen, but never acted on any of them. Octavia always thought maybe she was just biding her time, waiting for the perfect opportunity, but maybe that wasn't quite it. An image flashed across her mind of when they'd been fighting, Ontari's eyes bright with excitement and what seemed to be a genuine smile tugging at her lips, and she frowned.  
  
“Whether she is a plotter or not, I suggest you stay away from her,” Taigon's guard said, pulling Octavia out of her thoughts. He gave his charge a look, reminding him, “Her queen may be gone, but she still might want to hurt you, knowing it would hurt Lexa.”  
  
Taigon held up his hands, as though admitting defeat.  
  
“I have no desire to cause trouble for my sister,” he said, lowering his head a little. “I will do my best to keep my distance.” Giving the guard a look, he added, “Perhaps that would be enough to keep you of telling her about any of this.” Hope shone bright in his eyes, but then immediately fell away as the guard let out a full laugh, his arm slinging over the younger man's shoulders.  
  
“Moba, but if I do that then it will be me she comes after when she finds out anyway,” he replied, a teasing hint in his tone. “I will not take that knife for you.” Taigon's eyes narrowed before he mumbled quietly, “Natrona.”  
  
“Renn is right,” Lincoln agreed, smirking at the healer. “You are the only one who might survive it if we try to hide this from your sister.” Taigon's narrowed eyes turned to him, and Octavia grinned as Lincoln's smirk grew. This was the first time she'd ever seen Taigon joking around and teasing, and suddenly he looked far less like the Commander's brother and more like someone their own age. Despite the topic of conversation he seemed more relaxed, his shoulders not quite so tense, and briefly she wondered if his sister was ever able to loosen up and let herself relax like he was.  
  
Raven leaned over, bumping Taigon's arm with her shoulder, and smirked when he looked over to her.  
  
“So what I'm getting is that if this Ontari person doesn't kill you, your sister probably will. So what do you want to do with your last day on Earth?” He shot her the same little glare he'd given to the others, and then rolled his eyes, a smile cracking through his features.  
  
“I am getting hungry; how about some lunch?” he suggested, looking first to her and then the rest of them. “A man who thinks with his stomach, alright,” Raven said, nodding. “That works. You're the one who knows the city the best, so where to?”  
  
“Can we find something cold?” Octavia wanted to know, wincing again as her injured tongue bumped against her teeth. She spat again, the copper taste of blood still coating her mouth, and as she did Taigon nodded.  
  
“I think I know just where to go,” he told them, beginning to walk away from the training ground, the rest falling in line around him. Glancing over at Octavia, he added, “After we eat, I can take a look at your injuries if you would like.” Catching Lincoln's eye as well, he smiled. “And Lincoln, I have some new pastes and teas I think you would enjoy seeing.” Lincoln smiled back with a nod and Octavia gave the healer her own smile as they all followed him into the thick of the crowd. 

***

Clarke closed her eyes for a second, sinking back into her chair a little as those around her began to move. It had been a long meeting, dragging on as the clan leaders argued about tradable goods and who would send what where and when. Even she had zoned out a few times, so she didn't even want to imagine just how bored Reese must have been. The young Second had done well though, never making much noise behind her queen, just shifting from foot to foot every now and then. Now Clarke could hear her talking with Shayne, the two clearly just as glad as she was the meeting was over, and she just managed to catch herself from smiling as she heard the word “bo-ring” drawn out from her Second.  
  
“Tired, Ubroukai?” Luna teased beside her, and Clarke opened her eyes to see the Floukru leader standing beside her, stretching and making her back crack as she did so. The queen returned her grin, raising an eyebrow. “And you're not?”  
  
Luna's grin grew. “That meeting was nothing. Last year one of them lasted nearly two hours after the lunch hour. Hektar and Anoq could not agree over a piece of land between their clans. Finally Heda had to tell them neither could have it and it would remain neutral. She told them if she got any word of either clan settling on it she would consider it an act of war.”  
  
“Sounds like fun,” Clarke mumbled, not at all looking forward to any meetings like that, and Luna just grinned at her. “I thought I knew what that word meant, but if that is what you think of a meeting that long and annoying, I must not.” The queen opened her mouth to explain her sarcasm but then closed it when she noticed the other woman's smirk. Shaking her head, the corners of her lips twitched, returning the smirk with her own.  
  
“Cl-Erm, Ubroukai?” they heard, and both turned to see their Seconds standing behind them. Clarke had to bite her lip to keep herself from grinning at Reese's attempt at formality. “Can I go back to the Floukru camp with Shayne for a little while?”  
  
Glancing over to Luna, Clarke hesitated a moment before answering. “I don't know if that's a good idea right now, Reese. Shayne probably needs to help Luna get ready for the Floukru celebration tonight.”  
  
Before Reese or Shayne could try to protest, Luna spoke up.  
  
“There is still some time before we need to get ready,” she said. “I will need to speak with a few people before we can do much, so Shayne can show Reese around our camp.” She flashed a smile down at the Seconds as they both all but beamed up at her, and Clarke once again found herself shaking her head, entirely amused. “Okay, if Luna doesn't have any problem with it, then sure.”  
  
“Let's go, young Seconds,” the Floukru leader declared, giving Clarke a knowing smile before turning towards the doorway. Shayne followed along, falling into step beside her, and Reese followed her after giving Clarke another quick grin.  
  
The queen watched them go before taking a look around the room. Many of the clan leaders had already left, but a few still hung back. Tey stood only a few feet away talking to Lexa, the Commander now standing in front of her throne with her hands clasped casually behind her, politely listening to whatever he was saying. Indra waited nearby, clearly wanting to talk to the Commander as well, and Clarke had a feeling it would be a while before the brunette was able to get away from her leadership duties. For a brief second Lexa looked past Tey, meeting her eyes for just a moment, and gave her a barely noticeable nod, clearly thinking the same thing. The queen nodded back, head hardly moving, and then stood up, just managing to hold in a sigh as stiff muscles moved for the first time in a couple of hours.  
  
Trying to decide on the best way to spend her afternoon, she turned, planning to leave the tower, and immediately had her answer when she saw who was still sitting in the room. She still had a few questions she wanted answers to, and the leader of the Delphi Clan seemed like the perfect person to try to get them from.  
  
Danias grinned when he saw her making her way over to them. “Queen Clarke,” he greeted, “You are looking as lovely as always. What did you think of our morning's council meeting?” She met his look, raising an eyebrow, and replied dryly, “If I never hear the word 'trade' again I'll be able to die happy.” He laughed and she smiled before turning to Daniel still sitting in his chair. “What about you, what did you think of the meeting?”  
  
“I think these things would go faster if some people didn't enjoy arguing so much,” he complained, shaking his head, and Clarke had to agree. “If I die in this chair because Valia and Cela can't agree on how many fish to send to the Broadleaf clan every season I will be very upset.” As he finished he started to stand up, his legs a little shaky, and the queen stepped forward, taking his arm. Flashing her a smile, he nodded. “Mochof.”  
  
“Of course,” she replied, slowly following along as he began making his way to the door, Danias just behind him on his other side. She heard footsteps behind them and looked over her shoulder to see Roan following, eyes calmly skimming over them. She debated for a second whether she should send him back to their camp, but decided against it. It still seemed like a better idea to know where he was rather than let him disappear, especially with Ontari unaccounted for. Plus she was pretty sure if she tried walking around the city without any guard Jojesh would stop listening to her entirely and start following her everywhere. She'd learned a long time ago when to pick her battles, and that was one she didn't want to have to deal with.  
  
Ignoring the warrior behind them, she turned back to Daniel as they began making their way towards the elevator.  
  
“Could I talk to you sometime?” she asked. “I have a couple of questions I thought you might be able to help me with.”  
  
“I'm happy to try to help,” Daniel told her, his wrinkled cheeks turning up in a smile. “Come back to our camp with us and we will talk.”  
  
“Right now?” she wanted to know and his grin grew. “Unless you have something else you need to do.” She returned his grin, shaking her head as the group crowded into the elevator together.  
  
They didn't have far to go to get to the Delfikru's camp, but even so it took a few minutes, its leader shuffling between Clarke and Danias and mumbling the entire time about being old. Danias teased him constantly which just caused him to mumble more and the queen didn't even try to hold back her grin as the two poked and prodded at each other. In some ways the banter reminded her of Raven and Bellamy for some reason, and the realization just made her laugh.  
  
Reaching the camp, those sitting around were quick to make room for the old man, a chair immediately being brought out for him and placed next to an unlit fire pit. Before he'd so much as said anything, a young woman was standing next to him, holding out a water skin. “Here Nontukri,” she said, handing the skin to him. “You should drink.”  
  
“Thank you, Ciera,” he replied with a nod and small smile. The young woman returned both, eyed Clarke, and then backed away, leaving them to talk. Daniel took a long drink from the water skin, eyes closing as he did, and then let out a sigh as he pulled it away from his lips. Wiping a little bit of water from his lips, he held it out to Clarke. “Would you like a drink?” He gestured then to one of the logs strategically placed out around the fire pit. “Please, sit.”  
  
“Thank you,” the queen said, accepting the water skin before sitting. She took a quick gulp, the semi-warm water a welcome relief under the hot sun, and then passed it on to Danias as he sat heavily beside her. Roan took up his place behind her, standing and glancing over those around them, but remained quiet as usual, just observing.  
  
“So,” Daniel began, leaning back in his chair, sharp eyes on the blonde. “You have some questions.” Clarke nodded, frowning as she tried to figure out how to ask what she wanted, but apparently she didn't need to. He scanned her face for just a second or two and then asked, “Do these questions have to do with Asta's story last night?” She nodded, a little surprised, and his hands curled over the arms of his chair, gripping them slightly. “You want to know more about the first Commander and the first Commander of Death.”  
  
“Yes,” she told him and frowned again. “How did you know?”  
  
“Of course you would want to know more,” he stated as though it were obvious. “Why wouldn't you?” He trailed off a moment, as though gathering his thoughts, and then met her eyes again. “I don't know much about the first Commander,” he informed her. “What you heard last night is much of what I know. I was only a few years old when word spread about Amery and his title. I grew up hearing stories about him, of course, but that's all they were.”  
  
“What was it like?” Clarke wanted to know. “On the Ark we thought the bombs killed everyone left on Earth. We thought the radiation...” She trailed off as his lips pursed, frowning as he stared off in front of him, clearly thinking back.  
  
“Most people did die,” he told her, voice quieter than it had been. “If the explosions from the bombs didn't get you, the radiation did. I remember my parents used to tell me stories of what the world was like before it was destroyed. They talked about the millions of people there were and I couldn't even begin to imagine a number so big. Honestly I still can't. A few hundred out of those millions survived, some finding shelter in bunkers or boarded up houses. For the first three years of my life I didn't know anything outside of the house I was born in, living there with just my parents and older brother.”  
  
“The radiation didn't effect you when you left?” she asked and he gave her a sad smile. “It did,” he answered. “When we finally left we all got sick, but it didn't kill us. It did effect us though.” He paused then, staring off to the side, before he continued. “What Asta said about babies was right. A couple of years after we left our house my mother got pregnant. She gave birth to my sister but...” A shadow crossed over his face, and when he spoke again Clarke could hear the emotion in his voice. “Her body was mangled. Entirely disfigured. She could barely breathe, couldn't open her eyes. There was no way she could survive so my father put her out of her misery.”  
  
“I'm sorry,” Clarke murmured, unable to imagine that kind of pain. Daniel turned back to her, once again meeting her eyes, and gave her the barest hints of a smile. “It was the kindest thing he could do for her,” he replied, barely shrugging his shoulders. “It happened a lot back then. It still happens now when a disfigured child is born. They are put out of their misery.”  
  
“Only the strong survive,” Clarke said softly, thinking of the many times she'd heard those same words before, and Daniel nodded. “Yes,” he agreed, “The strong.” He shook his head, leaning further back in his chair. “When I was just a young boy, there wasn't anybody stronger than Eras. He was the kind of person you wanted on your side. He had a number of people following him already, but after he killed the first Commander people flocked to him. It's how our clan was created. My father followed him into battle until he was injured and could no longer fight and then my brother took his place.” His grin grew a little then, eyes glancing over and meeting Clarke's. “I fought as well when I had to, but it was my brother who was the real warrior.”  
  
“What was Eras like?” the queen asked, her elbows resting on her legs as she leaned forward. His head tilted to the side a little, thinking the question over, and then answered, “He was one who was always meant to be a leader. He had little tolerance for anyone who questioned him. Unlike Amery he didn't travel around to create villages but stayed where he was and people traveled to him. He only really left his home when he thought it was threatened.”  
  
Clarke frowned, thinking back to the little she'd heard the night before. “Didn't he go to find the first Commander? Amery was a threat?” Daniel let out a little sigh, his brow furrowing as his hands clutched the arms of his chair tighter. “That is where our story and the Rock Line Clan's differ,” he stated. “They believe he challenged Amery for the thrill of it, to prove who was stronger. Really he did it because he worried what might happen if the Commander ever reached his home.” At the blonde's curious look, he explained, “Asta told the story of how Amery built villages and clans, uniting people beneath him, and he did, but it wasn't as easy as she made it sound. He considered those who didn't want to follow him and his brother a threat, and he was determined to destroy any threat before it could reach his people at the top of their mountain. He traveled so far and killed so many, when Eras heard the rumors he decided he had to do something before the Commander managed to make his way to his home. That is why he left, why he found Amery and challenged him. He killed him, becoming the first Wanheda, but only because he feared Amery would do the same to his people.”  
  
“The first Wanheda,” Clarke repeated. Scanning the old man's wrinkled face, she asked, “Am I the second?”  
  
Daniel's expression pulled down a little before he shook his head. “No,” he answered with a sigh. “No, there was one other.” When the queen's eyebrows rose, indicating he should continue, he sighed again. “Eras had a son, Teran. He took over as leader of our clan once his father died and also earned the title of Wanheda, but he truly was the Commander of Death.”  
  
“How so?” the blonde wanted to know. “Unlike his father, he did not choose to stay at home until there was a threat,” the Delfikru leader informed her. “He was a young man who'd grown up learning how to fight and wanted our clan to grow. By then there were a number of small villages beginning to form, people simply trying to make a life in this new world. He decided those villages should be part of our clan and follow his orders. Many of the villages didn't agree. When they resisted, he took his warriors and went after them.”  
  
“The people stopped refusing him after the first couple villages were burned down and their people killed,” Danias commented dryly, looking at the water skin still in one hand. “Following another man's law is easier than seeing those you love gutted in front of you.” He took a long drink from the skin, not looking at either of the two leaders, but Clarke could clearly see what he thought about the tyrant from their clan's history. Her hands folded together in front of her, fingers gripping each other tightly. As horrible as they all thought the story was, she had a feeling her body count was much greater than either of her predecessors'.  
  
“Once the villages became part of our clan, Teran's wars mostly stopped,” Daniel continued, glancing at Danias for a moment and then back towards the queen. “Things settled down and we were able to live in relative peace for a while until rumors reached our clan that the Commander's spirit had been reborn. When he heard that, he decided he needed to find this new Commander and challenge him just as his father had.”  
  
A lump of anxiety settled in the back of Clarke's throat, afraid to find out what happened next. The idea that she shared a title with people responsible for the deaths of two of Lexa's past lives gripped at her, a strange sense of guilt that shouldn't be there rooting into her gut. Even so she needed to know this history that stood between her title and Lexa's so as her grip tightened on her fingers and her elbows dug into her thighs she asked, “What happened when he found him?”  
  
“He didn't,” Danias answered for the older man, a little smirk pulling at his lips. “The second Commander died before he had the chance.” He glanced at his leader, clearly amused, and added, “The story is he was very unhappy when he found out.”  
  
“He was,” Daniel agreed with a nod before adding, “He did face the third Commander years later though.” His eyes meeting Clarke's, he told her, “Nearly twenty years after missing what he thought was his only chance to face the Commander, we heard another had claimed the title. He left to challenge her, but unlike his father he was unable to beat the Commander. Heda won the fight that day and it was Wanheda whose fight ended.”  
  
“And now for the first time since Teran's death there is a new Wanheda to match our Commander,” Danias stated, leaning back and giving Clarke a smirk. “Which will win this time, I wonder?” The queen grit her jaw, just the idea of facing Lexa like that making her heart race and stomach drop, but before she could even try to correct him she heard a little chuckle and turned back to Daniel.  
  
“You ask the wrong question, Danias,” he informed the younger man, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth. “This time our Heda and Wanheda are not foes but partners. The better question is whether or not anyone will be able to stand in the way of what they want.” Grinning, he looked over to the blonde, not missing the way her hands and shoulders relaxed, a little smile pulling at her features. “I have lived through the lives of each of our Commanders, and I can say with certainty Lexa is the greatest one we have ever had.” One hand released his grip on his chair, a crooked finger pointing to the queen. “I may not know our new Ice Queen as well, but it is clear just by looking at her she's ten times the leader Eras or Teran ever were. With the two of them working together, I could almost feel sorry for anyone who tries to stand in their way. Almost.”  
  
Clarke flashed him a small smile while Danias chuckled, clearly not feeling any sympathy at all for anyone who might try to fight back against the new Heda and Wanheda duo. Daniel's words caused the strange guilt she'd been feeling in her gut to subside, determination instead taking its place. Yes, the Hedas and Wanhedas of the past had been enemies, rivals intent on nothing more than the destruction of the other, but she and Lexa were going to rectify that. They were going to drag the thirteen clans into peace whether they liked it or not, and Daniel was right: anyone who tried to stand in their way would regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry this took so long to get out, but I hope you liked it. If you have any questions about any of it (or any questions in general), feel free to reach out to me on Tumblr where I'm clarkethewanheda. Otherwise thanks, and I'll be back again soon (or at least I'll try to be)!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:
> 
> "Os kof op" - "Good trade"  
> "Skaigada" - "Skygirl"  
> "Ai laik Azgeda, seintaim yu" - "I am Ice Nation, same as you"  
> "Yu sou non Azgeda" - "You are not Ice Nation"  
> "You are a Sky Person, invaders."  
> "Kwin Klark teik ai in bilaik Azgeda" - "Queen Clarke accepted me into the Ice Nation"  
> "Ai laik Azgeda" - "I am Ice Nation"  
> "Klark kom Skaikru non laik kwin kom ain!" - "Clark of the Sky People is no queen of mine!"  
> "Ubroukai win au throudon" - "The Unbroken won the challenge"  
> "Em frag op Naia; Klark laik kwin" - "She killed Nia; Clark is queen"  
> "Moba" - "Sorry"  
> "Natrona" - "Traitor"


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are no good excuses. I'm so sorry this took so incredibly long to update, but thank you for being patient with me! I have the greatest readers in the world!

Tucked between Miller and Jasper, Monty followed his friends across the open patch of dirt where dozens of others had already gathered. Though they were at the same training ground they'd been in the night before to celebrate the Rock Line Clan, tonight the set up was different. Rather than tables arranged around one large fire pit they found a number of smaller circles of rocks, little fires already alight within them and their flames dancing in the dim lighting. There were no logs arranged around them, no types of seating at all but the dirt, and as Monty looked around he found a number of the people already gathered sitting on the ground. The only tables stood far to the side, dishes upon dishes of food spread out along them and people with brown tattoos lining their arms, faces and necks setting even more out. As he and the rest of the Skaikru made their way to one of the unoccupied fire pits Abby broke away from them, walking over to what was clearly meant to be the head of the area where the other clan leaders had assembled. Monty's focus followed her for a second, glancing over at the leaders out of the corner of his eyes and found Clarke already there, sitting between Indra and the oldest man he thought he'd ever seen. As the Chancellor approached them Indra scooted over making room for her beside her daughter.  
  
The group arranged themselves around the fire, Bellamy positioning himself so he had a clear view of the Chancellor and everyone else settling around him. Monty noticed Raven shuffle awkwardly to the ground, her leg not cooperating with her, but she didn't say anything. When Bellamy moved as though to help her she swatted his hands away, just barely giving him a little glare, and he pulled back, holding his hands up in defense. Sergeant Miller sat on the other side of Bellamy with his son next to him, and then Monty and Jasper filled the rest of the space. With so few of them there was enough room for at least a few more people to squeeze in with them, but for the moment at least nobody seemed to want to join them.  
  
Almost as soon as he'd sat down Monty was once again looking around him. It was the time of night when the entire world turned blue, not yet dark enough to erase features or hide details but late enough to obliterate all other colors besides the orange of the glowing fire. These shades of blue had been new to him when they first landed on the ground; on the Ark there was either light or there wasn't, a filtered white that sometimes almost seemed to distort the actual colors around them or the absence of it, not this in-between as the light oh so slowly melted away into the dark. He'd come to enjoy it, loved watching as the blue became darker and darker too slowly to really notice until all of a sudden everything was black; it was only one of the many reminders they were no longer on the Ark.  
  
“Anyone got any idea what's happening tonight?” Jasper asked as they all got situated, and Monty glanced over at his best friend beside him. For the moment he seemed calm enough, looking around the area almost disinterestedly, but they'd all learned how quickly he could go from disinterested to pissed and he just hoped they'd be able to avoid it tonight. As he glanced at his friend Raven shrugged, finally seeming to get somewhat comfortable, her leg sticking out at what he thought was an odd angle but apparently worked for her.  
  
“Not a clue,” she answered, one hand absentmindedly rubbing against her left thigh. “I don't think Abby really knows either.”  
  
“At least there's food,” Miller said already eyeing the tables, and beside him his father chuckled. “Way to think about your stomach first, Nate.” His son shot him a partial grin and his hand moved to Miller's shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. The interaction made Monty think of his own father and he felt a familiar tug at his chest. He'd thought about his parents countless times since the rest of the Ark came down and each time he did he felt a sharp pang of regret and pain tear through his gut. Just like each time before he pushed it away, refusing to let himself think about what had undoubtedly happened to them.  
  
“And looks like it's time to eat,” Jasper stated, eyes following various people as they stood up from their own circles and began heading over to the tables. Monty couldn't tell how they'd known it was time or if they just decided to get food, but nobody was stopping them so he stood back up along with the rest of them. Jasper and the Millers fell into the crowd right away, but Monty hung back with Bellamy, waiting as Raven tried to push herself back up. This time neither he nor Bellamy reached out to help, fully knowing it wasn't wanted, but he couldn't help but bite his lips as some of those passing them began staring, far too many people glancing at the dark haired girl as she tried to get back up to her feet. Glancing over at Raven's face, he knew she saw them too by the way she glared at the dirt as she struggled. One person stopped as they passed but when Monty looked over at her he relaxed a little. The look Nygel was giving her wasn't pitiful or concerned, but rather mildly interested.  
  
“Well Little Bird, it's been awhile,” she said once Raven was again on both feet, and the mechanic returned the smirk she was giving her almost immediately. Cocking an eyebrow, Nygel continued, “Have you been staying out of trouble?”  
  
Raven's head tilted to the side a little, a scoff pulling from her throat. “Please, as if.” Mirroring the cocked eyebrow, she nodded to the older woman. “What about you Nygel?” The woman's smirk grew, one corner of her mouth curling up a little higher as she leaned back to shift her weight. “What trouble could I get in?” she wanted to know, a hint of humor coloring her tone, and Raven scoffed again before looking pointedly at the scar running up her right cheek and ending with the tip of her ear missing. “None you can't get yourself out of,” she answered almost under her breath but they all heard it and it only made the older woman let out a light chuckle.  
  
With everyone up, the four began following the crowd and heading over to the food. So many people were crowded around the tables that they had to wait a few minutes to actually get to the dishes, so Monty used the time to look around him again. Even more people had shown up, the vast majority people he didn't know, but there were at least a few he recognized from the night before. The girl who'd told the story for the Rock Line Clan was already at the front of the crowd, filling a plate high with food. Callie stood not far behind her with Reese and Thom waiting for some space to open up and Jasper and the Millers were behind them.  
  
Luckily the crowd around the tables moved quickly, and before too long he was making his way back over to their fire, settling back into the spot he had claimed with Miller and Jasper already there. Even though Raven and Nygel had continued to talk while they waited to get food the older woman just nodded when they got back to the fire pit and continued on to her own, leaving Raven with her friends. Again the mechanic managed to sit on the ground, still looking far from comfortable, but this time she at least let Bellamy hold her plate while she did so none of her food would spill as she lowered herself to the dirt. Just as she was finally getting situated and Bellamy was handing her plate back two more bodies moved over to them, and Octavia and Lincoln sat in the space between Jasper and her, the boy shifting over a little to make sure there was plenty of room. The group all greeted them before they began digging into their food.  
  
“Guess I shouldn't be surprised the Boat People like their fish,” Jasper stated, picking up a piece of smoked fish and looking it over before popping it into his mouth. He nodded as he chewed almost as though he were judging it. “Not bad though.”  
  
“The Floukru are mostly fishermen,” Lincoln informed them between his own bites. “Most of their villages are right along the shoreline so long ago they learned how to live off the sea as well as the land. Many of their children learn how to work a boat even before they learn to walk.”  
  
“Cool,” Miller replied, “I bet it'd be really cool to know how to boat.”  
  
“If you ever visit any of the villages, I'm sure there are many people who would teach you,” Lincoln told him. Nodding over towards the fire with all the leaders around it, he added, “Luna was the one who taught me.” Miller nodded, apparently thinking the idea over, and Monty watched him until movement caught his eye and he looked back over to see Octavia tilting her head back, a bowl of chowder at her lips. She held it up almost awkwardly, as though she were trying to maneuver her meal into her mouth in some special way; from the look on her face, she wasn't having much success with whatever she was trying to do.  
  
Apparently he wasn't the only one who noticed. Her brother gave her a look, brow furrowing before he asked, “O, what're you doing?”  
  
“What does it look like Bell?” she huffed, scowling over at him. “I'm eating.” Her tone made his eyebrows shoot up, about to say something until Raven cut him off.  
  
“Hey don't bite your brother's head off just because you hurt yourself fighting that Ontari girl,” she said, giving her a look. “That's your own fault, Pocahontas.” Octavia tried to stick her tongue out at her and then winced and Monty shook his head, a little grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. Leave it to Octavia to get into a fight. Bellamy didn't seem nearly as amused, his expression clouding over.  
  
“Wait hold on, you got into a fight?” he asked, and across the circle Jasper scoffed. “Of course she got into a fight, this is Octavia we're talking about.” Bellamy didn't even bother giving him a look, his focus not leaving his sister, and the girl just rolled her eyes.  
  
“It's no big deal Bell, it was just a little fight,” she told him, both hands moving to cup the bottom of her bowl and hold it in her lap. “Ontari and I both just needed to let off a little steam.” Her brother didn't look like he believed her, his eyes constantly scanning her face and probably looking for any and all injuries. “Where are you hurt?”  
  
“She bit her tongue badly in the fight,” Lincoln answered for her, calmly helping himself to more of the food on his plate. Glancing at his girlfriend out of the corner of his eye, he raised an eyebrow. “We've done what we could for it, but there is only so much you can do for that king of injury.”  
  
“Unfortunately he's right,” a voice spoke up behind them, and the group all looked up to see the Commander's brother approaching from behind Bellamy and Raven. With a plate in one hand, he continued around the circle to the open space between Lincoln and Jasper, saying as he went, “Though I do have some herbs that might help with the pain, and some others that will help you get to sleep tonight if you would like them. Mostly your body just needs time to heal.” Looking between Lincoln and Jasper he then asked, “Can I sit?”  
  
Monty looked over at his best friend from the corner of his eye, noticing how Jasper was purposefully not looking up from his plate, but he didn't say anything as Lincoln nodded. Carefully the healer sank down between them, a few others in the circle shooting Jasper looks, but if Taigon noticed them he didn't say anything. Instead he looked over to Octavia as she said, “Herbs might be nice, but do they have to come in tea? Hot things aren't exactly making it feel any better.” He smiled at that, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. “Then just let the tea cool before you drink it.” She sighed, clearly not looking forward to it, but nodded anyway.  
  
Even with the addition of the healer to their group, Bellamy still hadn't taken his eyes off his sister. “So who's Ontari, and why'd you get into a fight with her?” Octavia, Lincoln and Taigon all shared a look, one neither Monty nor anyone else in the circle missed, and then Lincoln answered slowly, “She's an Azgeda warrior. She was Nia's Second and one of her followers so she doesn't really like Clarke.”  
  
“What does that mean?” Monty wanted to know, concern worrying at his gut. With everything else on her plate right now, he knew Clarke definitely didn't need somebody else against her, especially someone she was supposed to be in charge of. The fact that it sounded like this girl was one of Nia's more loyal warriors didn't help anything either, and that concern solidified into a little ball of fear. He could easily remember seeing the blonde for the first time in Keerie after the old queen had kidnapped her; he'd never seen her looking so beat up, physically and emotionally, and he hated the thought of anyone loyal to the woman who had done that to her anywhere near his friend.  
  
“It means our new queen needs to be careful,” Taigon answered evenly, eyes flickering over to the leaders' fire briefly. “But she already knows that.”  
  
“Clarke doesn't need to worry,” Octavia said, her grip on her bowl obviously tightening. “At least not about Ontari.” Everyone in the circle looked at her, Bellamy warily and Raven suspiciously. “Oh yeah, and why's that?” the mechanic asked and the other girl shrugged. “I have a plan.”  
  
“And what's that?” Bellamy wanted to know and Octavia gave another little shrug. “Not one you're gonna like.” Her answer made him scowl again, but before he could say anything the noise from the other fires around them began to die down, and they all looked up as a girl with brown tattoos along both of her shoulders stood up, a long thin instrument in her hand. She faced the leaders, catching Luna's eye, and Monty looked over just in time to see the Floukru leader nod her head, apparently giving her permission to continue with whatever she was doing. The girl returned the nod with a slight bow from her shoulders and then lifted the long instrument. Monty had seen pictures of ones like it before, though the flutes in the books he'd read had never looked quite as beautiful as this one. Her lips gently pressed to one end, a few fingers moving to some of the holes carved further down the smooth wood, and then she began playing and any other noise around them tapered out as the first few notes danced through the air.  
  
For a long moment Monty forgot about his plate of food, focused entirely on the music coming from the girl. Her song started out slow, long drawn out notes held for longer than he thought it would be possible to hold them. Something about it almost felt haunting in a beautiful way, and he felt goosebumps raise along his arms despite the humidity of the summer night. She played with her eyes closed, clearly not needing to see her flute to know where to place her fingers, as though the music effortlessly flowed through her. After a couple of long minutes two others stood up, shuffling into place behind her, and then they were seamlessly joining in without missing a note. The second they did the tune picked up, notes flying through the air more quickly as their fingers deftly skimmed along their instruments and as Monty listened he could practically see the different parts of this musical story unfolding around him. The two new additions played together, hitting all the same notes while the original girl played beneath them, her single flute standing up easily to the tune surrounding it.  
  
As the three flutes played together, crafting together this story he didn't know but could somehow imagine, Monty looked around, wondering what everyone else thought about it. Most of the people around the other fires watched the players, clearly as absorbed in the music as he was. A few others were busy picking at their food still, either too familiar with the music to be moved by it or just not interested in it. Around the leaders' fire he found everyone turned to the three players, a proud smile on Luna's face while a few others had their eyes closed in order to fully immerse themselves in the music. Looking back to his own circle he found Sergeant Miller also listening with his eyes closed, deeply lost in the notes while his son watched calmly beside him. Bellamy's plate was all but forgotten as it hung over the edge of his knee and Monty could see that some of his food had slid off and to the ground but the older boy hadn't seemed to notice yet. Raven was busy studying the players, her head tilted slightly to the side as she eyed the instruments, probably trying to figure out their design. Lincoln and Octavia both just listened politely, each lightly picking at their food though every now and then as the tune shifted Lincoln would also close his eyes, the corners of his mouth tilting up. The reaction that surprised Monty the most though was Jasper. He stared at the first girl, eyes wide and lips just barely parted as though he were drinking the music in. For almost a minute Monty watched him out of the corner of his eyes and not once did he see the other boy blink, too focused to remember to do so. He knew that look and reaction, and felt his own eyes widen for a second until he felt a little nudge at his opposite side.  
  
Looking over, Monty found Miller watching him and when the other boy caught his eye he looked over, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Jasper. Monty completely understood the meaning behind the look and gave a little shrug, silently telling him he saw the same thing too though he wasn't entirely sure he could believe it. Miller nodded, one corner of his mouth curling up into a small smirk, and then he shook his head, probably trying to hold in a laugh. As he turned back towards the players he shifted, leaning over slightly and his shoulder brushed against Monty's and the younger boy almost blushed, though he wasn't entirely sure why. The next second Miller shifted away again and the little pressure against Monty's shoulder disappeared. Pushing the light touch and strange reaction to the back of his mind, the computer genius also turned his attention back to the musicians, letting himself get just as lost in their song as everyone else around him.

***

Clarke listened as the notes from the flutes ebbed and flowed, building up before falling back again, and had to close her eyes a few times to let it all wash over her. Even without any words accompanying them the notes told a story, one that was at times sad and at others uplifting, and she wondered how it could be that this song painted a picture of these people she didn't know so easily. Live music had been a rarity on the Ark, only so many instruments making it onto any of the original space stations and even fewer surviving the journey over nearly a hundred years. Recorded music had been more common and she'd always enjoyed it, but there was something about these notes, this song, that just felt far more powerful than any other she'd ever heard before. She could practically feel Luna glancing at her out of the corner of her eye every now and then but she couldn't bring herself to return the look, too wrapped up in the notes.  
  
Eventually the musicians stopped playing, each pulling their flute from their lips, and as they did they all looked back over to Luna and bowed slightly. Their leader nodded to them, a clear indication they were dismissed, and they returned to their circle, repositioning themselves around their fire. As they sat the spell cast over the crowd seemed to break and first a few people began speaking again, murmurings breaking the silence of the night, and then the clamor of dozens of people trying to talk over one another grew rapidly. Clarke didn't say anything, just remained quiet until the Boat Clan leader turned to her.  
  
“What did you think, Queen Clarke, Chancellor Abby?” she wanted to know, looking between the two of them. Gesturing to the others around their fire she added, “The rest of the leaders here have heard our song before.”  
  
“It was beautiful,” Abby answered honestly, meeting the Boat leader's look. “I've never heard anything like it before.”  
  
Even as her mother answered, Clarke nodded. “She's right,” she agreed, also looking at Luna, “It really was beautiful, Ambassador.” Luna returned the nod with a little tilt of her head. “It is called _Jova kom Oso Kru_. Even without words, it tells the story of our people, starting with the villages Avery built at the bottom of his mountain and continuing on to when we first began building our boats and living off the sea more than the land. It's how we teach our children our history.”  
  
“It sounds like an amazing story,” Abby stated as she gave the Ambassador a small smile. Nodding towards the fire the players now sat at, she added, “And your musicians are very talented.”  
  
Almost as soon as she finished speaking Clarke heard someone let out a small scoff and turned, finding Asher leaning back a little with his plate balancing on one knee, all but ignored. “It is not a history,” he declared, giving Luna a look across the fire that the Ambassador returned with a raised jaw and sudden icy stare. “Histories are spoken; they are told, not played. You cannot tell a history without using words. That music is nothing more than a little song your people play.”  
  
“You may be too dense to understand it, but our music and that tune especially is more than just a 'little song',” Luna replied, just a hint of an edge in her tone. “ _Our_ people don't need the same long boring story told over and over again every time even just a few of us get together to celebrate who we are.” From the corner of her eye Clarke could see her fingers curl tightly around the edge of her plate and she looked down as she felt the hair on her arms stand up in anticipation. The mood around their fire immediately shifted and her senses heightened as she glanced around the circle with her head still tilting down. Many of the other leaders looked as relaxed as they had a moment ago, clearly not letting the shift get to them while others sat just as stiffly as she did.  
  
Asher's eyes flashed at her words and his lips curled down into a silent snarl, but before he could say anything Anoq began speaking, surprising Clarke. Up until then the Plains Riders chief had over all remained quiet, really only speaking up in their council meetings and only when he needed to. He remained relaxed where he sat, his shoulders and arms entirely at ease but looked over at the Rock Line King and lifted a single eyebrow.  
  
“You clearly do not understand the power in music,” he stated, his expression just as relaxed as his posture. “That is unfortunate for you.” With a nod to Luna, he continued, “Ours is very different, but my people also use it in celebrations. We use music to tell stories, speak to the spirits and just celebrate our people's victories, whatever they are. There is power in it all.”  
  
“Chief Anoq is right,” Daniel agreed from beside Lexa, the two almost directly across from Asher. “Music goes back further than anyone can even remember. I doubt there are any clans that don't find a way to make music at all, including yours King Asher.” The king's jaw clenched again but he had no response to that and looked away sharply, returning his attention to the plate on his knee and letting the conversation continue on around them. As it did Clarke could practically feel the tension leaking out of their circle, and let out a silent sigh of relief. Looking over at Daniel as he began talking with Anoq about the variation in music between their two clans, she happened to catch Lexa's eye. The Commander had been mostly quiet so far and the blonde wondered how much further that conversation would have had to have gone before she stepped in to end it. Seeing the look in eyes made dark from the night around them, she was pretty sure the king had been wise to let the topic drop when it did. With Lexa now looking at her she gave her a half-smile, the look small, and after a second she returned it, one corner of her mouth just barely pulling up for a brief moment.  
  
Unable to hold the look for long without wanting to go over to the other girl, Clarke glanced away again and turned her attention back to her plate, finding it empty. She hadn't quite filled it earlier, a little afraid there might not be enough food with the many dozens of people spread out across the clearing, but now she found plenty still piled high on the tables a few yards away. Without a word she grabbed her plate and stood up, carefully making her way around their fire and to the tables to help herself to more. She was looking at it all spread out across the tables, trying to decide what to take this time when she heard footsteps approach her from behind.  
  
“You should try the moksoka,” Luna informed her as she stepped up beside the queen. She pointed to a large bowl sitting at the edge of the table and when Clarke looked at it she had to force herself not to make a face. In the bowl were circular chunks of what she assumed must be some kind of fish, but it wasn't the fish that had kept her away from that particular dish so far. A red sauce surrounded the chunks, looking far too much like blood for her comfort so she'd skipped over it her first round at the tables and had planned to do so this second round as well until the Ambassador had come along. Despite her attempt at keeping a straight face Luna grinned, apparently reading her hesitancy. “It's good,” she insisted, reaching out and helping herself to some of the dish in question. “One of my favorites even.” Deciding it would be rude not to try it now, Clarke held her plate out and let the older woman add a few chunks of the fish to what little she'd already put on it.  
  
“That song really was beautiful,” she said as she and the Ambassador helped themselves to more food. “Asher was wrong when he said it doesn't tell your history; I don't know much about your people but I could still feel everything behind the notes.” A hard glint flashed across Luna's eyes, difficult to see in the dark but still there, but this time her expression remained calm.  
  
“Asher would say anything against my clan whether he truly believed it or not,” she told the queen, purposefully not looking anywhere but at the table. “Our people have not gotten along as far back as any of us can remember.”  
  
“Why?” Clarke wanted to know, curious about this new piece of Grounder history. Rather than answer immediately Luna piled more food on the queen's plate, this time pieces of what looked suspiciously like raw fish wrapped in some kind of seaweed, yet another dish Clarke had been avoiding until now.  
  
“Ours was the first village Avery built when he came down off his mountain,” she finally answered. “We were small but he helped build us up and then he left. He made our ancestors into the the same warriors he and his people were, but after he died we cared less about fighting. We were more concerned with growing our villages, making sure our people had enough food to eat and shelter to survive in. Before long Boudalan warriors began coming down their mountain and when they saw our villages they attacked, wanting what we had built for themselves. Rather than try to fight our ancestors left their villages to find new land, but every time they tried to settle down it was never long before the Boudalan warriors would find them and drive them away again. Finally they were driven all the way to the sea, and it was there they finally found a home.” When Luna noticed the slight tilt of the blonde's head, she added, “The sea was far enough away the Boudalan didn't try to follow them anymore. They could never live that far away from their precious mountain.” The bitterness in her words was clear to them both, but Clarke decided nothing good could come from pointing that out. The Ambassador's expression evened out again, a new kind of softness tugging at her features and the queen studied it, wondering where it was coming from.  
  
“We found a new life at the edge of the sea,” she continued, her voice lowering just a little as she clearly reminisced about her home. “Our villages grew and our people learned how to use the sea to survive. We began building boats so we could travel further out and now even young children know how to build and use them.” She paused then, smile growing as she thought about her people and all they'd accomplished, and Clarke could easily see her pride in them written across the Ambassador's face. “When my mother was a child a great metal structure, larger than anything I had ever seen before, was even found far out in the water. Now it is one of our villages and the only way to get there is by boat.”  
  
“You have a village in the middle of the ocean?” Clarke asked, eyes widening, and her surprise only made Luna's lips curl up into a grin. Looking over at the queen, she nodded, telling her, “We do. I grew up there, and it's still my favorite place to be. There isn't anything like standing there with the wind blowing all around you and just breathing in the scent of the ocean.” The idea made the blonde a little queasy. Though Keerie and many of the other Azgeda villages were built right along some pretty impressive lakes she still didn't know how to swim and thinking about being stuck in the middle of any body of water made her heart begin to beat a little faster. If Luna noticed her horror at the thought of it she didn't let on, continuing with, “I hope you will be able to visit one day, and I'll show you our metal village.” Clarke purposefully looked away but nodded, secretly hoping she'd never have to do that. “I'd like that,” she lied, and the Ambassador gave her another smile before her eyes flickered down to the queen's plate and up again. “Try it,” she insisted again, an almost teasing inflection to her words as she gestured towards the moksoka and other fish she'd placed on the girl's plate. “I believe you will like it.” Clarke nodded and Luna returned the motion before turning away from the tables and heading back towards the fire the rest of the leaders still all sat around. The queen was about to follow her when she noticed a familiar face moving towards her and instead waited as Octavia closed the space.  
  
“Hey Clarke,” the other girl just said and the blonde flashed her a smile. “Hey Octavia. What's up?”  
  
“I just wanted to talk for a second,” she told her, and Clarke lifted an eyebrow, silently telling her to continue. “You don't have to worry about Ontari anymore,” she said matter of factly and the blonde's eyes immediately widened, not having expected that. “I'm dealing with her.”  
  
“What do you mean you're dealing with her?” the queen wanted to know. Octavia gave a small shrug and answered, “I've got a plan. I found her today like you wanted and we got into it a little. I think I know how to deal with her now so you don't have to.”  
  
Rather than make her feel any better, the response made concern gnaw at Clarke's gut as she quickly scanned over the other girl's face. “What do you mean you got into it? You fought her?” Now that she was actually looking for it she could see a bump on Octavia's forehead, barely discolored but definitely there. Looking down she found a dark bruise at the crook of her elbow and three barely-scabbed scratches running a few inches down her forearm. Quickly placing her plate on the table she reached out, gently grabbing her arm and pulling it closer to get a better look at the injuries. Without looking up she let out a frustrated sigh. “Octavia.”  
  
“I'm fine Clarke, don't worry about it,” she told her, only letting the queen look at her arm for a few seconds before pulling away. “If Bellamy sees you he's gonna think something's actually wrong.”  
  
“Something is wrong, Octavia,” Clarke growled, voice low as she looked back up and met an all too familiar and incredibly stubborn expression. Maybe Lexa was right and it was a Sky Person trait. “Did she attack you? I can't just ignore that if she did.”  
  
“What, you think I can't handle myself?” the warrior demanded and Clarke rolled her eyes. “That's not the point, Octavia. Ontari can't just start attacking any of us. What if it's not just you or me she has a problem with and she starts going after whoever she wants? That can't happen.” It was a worry she'd had for weeks now, even when she was trying to decide whether or not to bring Ontari with them to Polis. She'd hoped to use this time to convince her to let go of her loyalty to Nia, but now she wasn't sure she could take that risk anymore. If she attacked anyone from any of the other clans they could easily have a war on their hands, the very thing she and Lexa were working so hard to prevent. As queen Clarke could order her death but the idea of doing so before she'd actually committed any kind of crime made her stomach roll. On the other hand could she really take the chance Ontari wouldn't try anything, especially if she was now getting into fights with another Azgeda warrior?  
  
As the internal debate went back and forth in Clarke's head, Octavia reached out and lightly gripped her upper arm. “I know that Clarke,” she told her, pulling the queen's attention back to her. “But I'm telling you, I have a plan. Let me worry about Ontari while you worry about everything else.” The blonde's eyes narrowed a little as she thought it over, before she asked, “What kind of plan? What're you going to do, Octavia?”  
  
“Kick her ass a few times to start,” the warrior replied with a half-grin. Glancing down at her forearm she made a fist, staring at the flexing muscles, and continued, “I owe her a few hits.”  
  
“Octavia,” Clarke warned, rubbing at her forehead. Suddenly she felt more tired than she had all day and she knew it was directly related to whatever she would need to deal with in the next few weeks because of the other girl's plan. All she could do was sigh though as Octavia looked at her again, suddenly much more serious as she asked quietly, “Clarke, please, just trust me on this. At least give me a chance.” Eyes flicking along the brunette's face and trying to read everything there, finally the queen nodded, silently hoping she wouldn't regret this. “Okay. I'll let you deal with Ontari for now. Just be careful.” Octavia nodded as she flashed the queen another smile, one that Clarke returned before looking back at her injuries. She reached up to lightly press at the brunette's forehead and Octavia rolled her eyes as she took a step back.  
  
“Seriously Clarke, I'm fine,” she stated again, voice a little dry. The blonde barely listened to her, eyes darting over the bump on her head and then down to the marks on her arm. “Have you had all of these looked at?” she wanted to know. “I can try to make you something after we leave here if you want.”  
  
“No need,” she answered, jerking a thumb up and over her shoulder. Clarke followed the motion to one of the little fires not far away and found Taigon sitting with Lincoln and the Skaikru members who'd chosen to come to the feast. She stiffened when she noticed he sat directly next to Jasper; even though the other boy didn't seem to be paying any attention to him, the queen didn't like having him anywhere near the Commander's brother. Things might have changed for many of her friends, but she didn't doubt Jasper still hated the Grounders and the Commander more than any of them. If he still wanted revenge for Lexa's betrayal at Mount Weather, hurting her brother would be the best possible way to get it. Octavia didn't seem the least bit concerned about it, not even looking back at the group as she added, “Taigon was there by the time the fight ended and took a look at them all. When we leave here he's gonna make me some more tea, but I don't need it.”  
  
“My mom always told me not to argue with my doctor,” Clarke informed her, and then smirked a little as she gave a little shrug. “Though my mom was my doctor, so maybe she just didn't want me arguing at all. But anyway, I'd do what Taigon says; he's one of the best healers here.” The warrior nodded, returning the smirk with a little grin of her own, and then that grin fell away a little as something new flashed across her expression. Clarke scanned her face, trying to figure out what she was thinking when Octavia looked around a little and then stepped forward, closing some of the space between them.  
  
“Look Clarke, I don't know if this is gonna help convince you to let me deal with Ontari, but I think you need to know this,” she said quickly, her volume dropping so far the blonde had to lean in closer to hear her. She felt a fresh wave of worry wash through her gut, not breaking eye contact with the other girl as she continued just as quietly, “Our fight today only ended when it did because she saw Taigon.” Clarke's eyes widened but she didn't interrupt as Octavia told her, “They kind of, I don't know, baited each other I guess, and then it looked almost like she was going to attack him until his guard and everyone else there made it clear to her that wouldn't be a good idea. She backed off but she was pissed.”  
  
The queen didn't wait: the second Octavia finished talking she took off, leaving her plate on the table and forcing the warrior to hurry behind her to keep up. She did her best to keep her expression even but knew pieces of her mask were slipping even as she made her way over to the Skaikru fire. Bellamy saw them approaching first but must have read the look on her face, an eyebrow lifting before he turned back down at his food, acting as though he hadn't seen her. Raven noticed them a second later and tilted her head, obviously wondering what she was doing but Clarke barely even looked at her, too focused on the healer sitting in their circle.  
  
“Taigon,” she said as she stepped up behind him, and he turned around, flashing her a smile before he too noticed the look in her eyes. She saw him let out a silent sigh, apparently already able to figure out what this must be about, and only nodded evenly as she asked, “Mind if I talk to you for a minute?”  
  
“Of course Clarke,” he agreed as he placed his mostly empty plate on the ground and then stood up. Octavia followed them as the queen led the way towards the edge of the clearing they were in, hoping to get away from the dozens of people so they could talk without being overheard. As though he'd been expecting this confrontation, Renn suddenly appeared from the dark, apparently having been watching Taigon and the moment they stopped he gave the healer a look, telling him, “I told you you wouldn't be able to hide your idiocy from your sister.” The healer returned the look with one of his own, probably trying to refrain from rolling his eyes, and if the situation wasn't as serious as it was Clarke might have laughed. As it was she grabbed his arm, forcing his attention back on her and met his eyes.  
  
“What were you thinking?” she all but demanded, forcing herself to keep her voice down. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves. They couldn't hide this from Lexa but she definitely didn't need to find out in front of so many people. Grip tightening just a little around his bicep, she added, “Why would you antagonize Ontari? You know the only person she wants to hurt more than me is Lexa!”  
  
Somehow he managed to maintain an even expression. “I wanted to see what she would do,” he answered simply, as though it were the obvious answer. “There were enough people there I knew I'd be safe even if she decided to attack.”  
  
“You wanted to see what she would do?” Clarke repeated, more than a little dumbfounded. She knew there had to be a better reason; while she didn't know Taigon as well as she did some of her other friends, she knew him well enough to know he'd never put himself in any kind of danger just to see what would happen.  
  
“She's lost, Clarke,” he told her, green eyes serious as they pierced down at her. “Everything she did was under Nia's orders. Now her queen is gone and she doesn't know what to do. Everyone knows she doesn't like you and probably wants to make a move against you but she doesn't know how. Nia was the one who made plans and she just fought whenever her queen told her to. She has always been rash but today she stopped when she saw the people around me instead of just trying to fight through them all to get to me. I think she can be reasoned with, I just don't know how you can get through to her.”  
  
“And that you can leave to me,” Octavia said, pulling their attention over to her. Clarke gave her a look, pressing her lips together for a second before she replied, “No offense Octavia, but you're not exactly the easiest person to reason with yourself. What makes you so sure you can do this?” Her fists clenched and unclenched quickly down at her sides, giving a half-smirk as she answered, “We speak the same language. And like I said, I owe her a few hits anyway.” The queen shook her head but looked between them, mind racing before she let out a heavy sigh.  
  
“Fine,” she finally declared and then gave the warrior a look. “Whatever you're thinking, give it a try. Make her fight so much she's too tired to start any kind of trouble, but just be careful.” The warrior's grin grew and she nodded, and then Clarke looked at the healer and his guard. “Taigon, please, just stay away from her,” she all but begged. “She might not attack you when there's people around, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't try anything if she was able to get you alone.”  
  
“She won't ever be able to do that,” Renn stated gruffly, shifting a little in his stance so he moved just a hair closer to the healer, this time actually making Taigon roll his eyes. “Whether this kid likes it or not, I'm with him until the rest of the clans leave Polis.”  
  
Clarke flashed a little smile up at the warrior, feeling just a little better at the thought. “I know you are Renn. I know the Commander wouldn't have given you the job if she didn't trust you with her brother's life.” The older warrior stood a little taller at that, one corner of his mouth pulling up. Beside him Taigon let out a sigh but then looked past Clarke and over her shoulder, glancing towards the far side of the clearing. “You do not need to worry about me, Clarke,” he told her. “I would never do something that might hurt my sister. I have every intention of keeping my distance from Ontari.” The queen nodded and then he tore his focus from whatever he'd been looking at, and lifted an eyebrow at her. “Can we go back to the feast now, or do you need to scold me some more?” She fought it a second and then let her lips turn up into a grin, telling him, “Nah, I think I'm done. I'm sure Lexa will cover anything I missed.” He scowled and then tilted his head up, chin sticking out proudly as he stepped around her to head back over to his fire, in that moment looking enough like his sister that the blonde couldn't quite contain a quiet laugh. Renn chuckled quietly and gave her a wink, probably thinking the same thing, before turning to disappear back into the dark again, and Octavia flashed her a grin before following the healer.  
  
Making her way back to the table with a sigh, Clarke rubbed at her temple, a slight headache now pounding just behind her eyes. She could feel the exhaustion slowly creeping up on her but tried to push it away, knowing she still had at least a couple of hours left before she'd be able to lock herself away in either her or Lexa's room for the night. As she'd been gone someone must have come along and taken her full plate so she grabbed one of the few empty ones left and began helping herself to more food. She seriously considered avoiding the moksoka and raw fish Luna had given her but then decided to just suck it up and try it, knowing the Ambassador might ask what she thought of both dishes.  
  
With the new plate full, she finally turned and began making her way back over to the fire, and almost the moment she looked up she found green eyes watching her intently. Lexa's eyes flickered along her face and Clarke could see concern in them buried somewhere far beneath her Commander's mask. No doubt she'd seen the queen approach her brother and wondered what that could be about, but rather than try to say anything the blonde just gave her a small smile, trying her best to wipe that concern away. Later she would have to tell Lexa about Ontari and Taigon and probably even Octavia's plan for dealing with her, but right now she knew the other girl couldn't worry about that. Right now she had to solely be the Commander, and Clarke wasn't about to distract her from that duty. She must have seen something in the blonde's expression saying as much, because the next second Lexa gave her the tiniest of nods before turning back to the conversation around her and easily answering a question Daniel was asking her.  
  
Lowering herself back into her spot at the fire, Clarke let out a long, silent breath. Her mother shot her a smile the second she sat down, reaching over and giving her hand a light squeeze before nodding at something Indra was saying, and a few spots away she saw Luna giving her a look. When the Ambassador noticed her watching she nodded down to the blonde's plate, lifting an eyebrow, and Clarke shook her head, the corners of her mouth tugging up a little. Meeting the older woman's look she grabbed a piece of the moksoka and popped it into her mouth, immediately beginning to chew on the almost rubbery fish.  
  
She had to admit, while it wasn't the greatest thing she'd ever eaten, it wasn't half bad either.

***

The fires were finally burning low, nobody bothering to put fresh logs on them. Lexa watched calmly as Valia led the Lake People away from the clearing, leaving only a couple of clans left. Daniel had been the first leader to rise up, stating it was time for his old bones to get some rest, and after other clans had left in a steady trickle. Even as she watched Sheni and Jace were over with their people, herding them together to head back to their camp.  
  
“Well Heda, another day gone,” Luna stated beside her. She'd taken Daniel's place after he left and was now leaning back on her forearms, a lazy grin on her face. “Not a bad one, either.”  
  
“No,” Lexa agreed with a nod, “Not at all.” Gesturing over to the fire her own people still sat around, she added, “Your people did well tonight. Shay plays as beautifully as I remembered.”  
  
The Ambassador also looked over towards her people, her smile softening a little at them all and then even more so at the musician laughing at something someone must have just said. “Mochof. She makes us all proud.”  
  
Lexa nodded again and was about to look away when someone around the fire looked up, catching her eye and giving her a coy smile. Gritting her teeth lightly, the Commander returned it with a polite nod, only looking away when the woman beside her gave a light chuckle. Luna must have seen the interaction and wasn't even trying to hold back her grin.  
  
“Ste yuj, Heda,” she advised, eyes twinkling in the dying firelight. “Someday my daughter will accept the fact you do not return her feelings and will move on. You just need to be patient.”  
  
“Dala is a beautiful young woman,” Lexa replied carefully, not wanting to take any chance at offending the mother and Ambassador. Eyes leaving the Floukru fire they immediately found a head of blonde hair standing over with her own people and she could feel her expression soften even as she tried to keep her usual mask in place. “But I'm afraid you're right, I just do not feel for her the way she feels for me.”  
  
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the Ambassador's smirk grow. “My daughter is beautiful,” she agreed with a slow nod and then she too was glancing over to the Azgeda fire. “Our new queen is beautiful too. And a loving leader, and a fierce protector of her people, maybe of all people.” She paused then as she pushed herself to her feet, using her pant legs to brush the dirt off the palms of her hands once she was up. “She has a sharp mind and a great heart; I think we will all do better with having her around. Eventually I think my daughter will see you've put your heart into the right hands.” When Lexa looked up at her the older woman just gave her a little wink, flashed her another smile, and then left their fire in order to move over to her people, all who welcomed her with loud exclamations and grins.  
  
Lexa watched her go for a moment and then also rose, the last around the leaders' fire. Indra and the other Trikru had left while she and Luna were talking, so she made her way over to Clarke, naturally drawn to the blonde as though some unknown force were always steering the two towards each other. The calm smile she wore grew a little when she noticed Thom beside the blonde, pouting up at her with Reese behind him, clearly trying not to pout also.  
  
“But Claaarke,” she heard Thom saying as she drew closer, “I'm not tired yet. I don't wanna go back and go to bed!”  
  
“It's late, Thom,” Clarke tried, sounding more tired than she looked. Over the past hour or so Lexa had noticed her rubbing at her temples and knew she must have a headache. “You need to get some sleep.”  
  
“But I can't sleep if I'm not tired,” he argued. Just then he noticed Lexa and his face lit up. “Heda! You won't make me go to bed when I'm not sleepy, right?”  
  
Clarke glanced over her shoulder, shooting Lexa a look, and the Commander's eyes flickered up, trying to fight off a smile. Seeing the bright stars shining with barely a cloud blocking their view, she had a thought.  
  
“Why don't we go for a walk?” she suggested, looking back at first Clarke and then Thom and Reese. “I have something I would like to show you, but when we're done it will be time for bed.” The little boy's expression lit up, nodding ferociously while Reese grinned behind him. Clarke raised her eyebrows and then sighed before nodding once. “Alright fine,” she said, “We walk and then go to bed.”  
  
They left the clearing, the entire Azgeda group with them, and Lexa led the way back into the city. She heard Callie and Nygel murmuring quietly behind her, saw Jojesh walking behind Clarke out of the corner of her eye, but ignored everyone but the blonde and the children. As always Reese walked proudly beside her queen, chest puffed out and head held up high, and Lexa felt the corners of her lips twitch at the sight. Thom was between the two leaders, still grinning from the thought of putting off bedtime for even just a little bit longer. Part of her wanted to stop and offer him a ride on her back but she knew she couldn't do that. Not only would it be more difficult for him to hold on with her sash and gear, but even walking through her city's streets she needed to act the part of Commander. At the moment she couldn't let people see her carrying around a little boy on her back, no matter how much she wanted to shed her duty and just make him laugh a little.  
  
Reaching the Azgeda camp, they left a number of people behind but picked up one more before moving on. Kila was out, trying to calm a fussy Sef who was clearly supposed to be sleeping, and when she saw them Clarke went right over, happily accepting the little boy from his grandmother so she could go relax for a little while. The toddler quieted almost as soon as he was handed off, and when Clarke was beside her again Lexa saw the little boy grinning at the blonde as she easily settled him on her hip. The image of Clarke with the boy, each grinning at the other, caused Lexa's heart to skip a beat, and for a moment she couldn't stop herself from reaching over and lightly tucking a strand of hair back behind the queen's ear when Sef grabbed for it. Clarke flashed her a smile, and though it was too dark to see the look in her eyes with just the meager flickering torches around, Lexa was pretty sure she could imagine exactly what it must look like.  
  
“Thanks,” she said and the Commander just nodded, her own smile growing as Thom interrupted them, saying, “Come on Heda, you're sposed to be showing us something!” Tearing her gaze away from Clarke, a difficult feat even when shadows hid much of her expression, she nodded solemnly to the boy. “This way,” she simply stated and then led the way back out in the street, Reese and Thom falling into place beside them while Jojesh continued to follow his queen like a silent shadow.  
  
As they walked dozens of torches lined the streets, many hanging off of sturdy vendors' stands and even some small fires still burning in front of small houses. Many people were still at work, trying to sell or trade their goods for as long as they could, and as they passed most of them watched the strange group go by. Some called out greetings, all of them recognizing their Heda despite the darkness, and each time they did Lexa would look at them and nod, returning each with her own silent greeting. With only a fraction of the usual crowds still exploring the city it was easier for the vendors to call out their respect for their leader, so it still took the group longer than it necessarily should have to get to their destination. Glancing down, Lexa could tell Thom didn't have any problem with that at all, a grin still spreading across his face from ear to ear.  
  
Lexa didn't say anything about where they were going, but as they got closer she could just barely make out the image of Clarke looking over at her every now and then, obviously confused. Perhaps she remembered this path from their tour of the city a couple of days ago and wondered why the Commander was taking them on another one, especially when most of the city was too dark to really see much. Everything only got darker and darker as they neared their destination and Lexa stepped a little closer to the blonde, silently offering her support should the queen need it, but the moment the queen realized where they were going any concern she had about the dark seemed to melt away, at least for the moment. She stopped in her tracks and a second the others stopped as well, Clarke and the children staring ahead of them, mouths just barely hanging open while Lexa looked at the blonde, a small smile on her lips.  
  
“Lexa, it's...” the queen began but then her voice trailed off, clearly unable to articulate exactly what it was and the beauty before them. Thom didn't have quite as much problem, gasping lightly before exclaiming, “Pretty!”  
  
Ahead of them stood the Glowing Forest camp, and for the first time Clarke was able to see how they'd gotten their clan name. There were no torches, no fires of any kind, and still it wasn't difficult to spot the camp and individuals inside it. The hammocks lining between the buildings glowed, iridescent blues and purples shining along the underside of the fabric and even making the ropes holding them in place visible. Much of the gear strewn about on the ground, bags and hides, even spots on the wagons tucked just behind the buildings glowed softly in the dense shadows. Even more impressive, and what Lexa could see Clarke was focused on, was the glowing symbols that moved, walking around the camp or pulling themselves up into the hammocks. Each member of the Trishana, even the children, had tattoos of green or blue or both that shone softly along their skin, designs invisible in the light but made entirely obvious in the void of it.  
  
“But I thought the Trishana didn't have tattoos?” Clarke nearly stuttered, the awe catching at her voice and coloring her words, and Lexa felt her grin grow. Shaking her head lightly she replied, “Their tattoos are not like any other clans'. Many of the plants in and around their villages give off this light but only when it is dark. They use the plants to make the ink for their tattoos. For the first few days after they get them the ink is visible in the light but dull, nothing special. At night though it glows, and before long the dull image fades in the day, disappearing entirely but the glowing one always remains in the dark.” Glancing back over the camp, her grin softened, a usual warm feeling filling her chest as she watched these people move easily about, not worried about anything other than preparing for the night. “Sheni's people respect the ground and everything on it, and they long ago created these tattoos to represent that respect. It also helps them blend in with the trees they live in.”  
  
“It's amazing,” Clarke breathed, still staring out over the camp and Lexa turned to stare at her. Perhaps the Trishana didn't move her as much because she'd seen this all before, but the Commander couldn't help but think even the soft glow of the tattoos couldn't match up to the queen's beauty as she watched these people move around. She nodded but didn't say anything, letting Clarke and the kids stare in wonder for a few minutes while she remained happy just watching them.  
  
Eventually the peace of the moment was broken as Sef began fidgeting around, pushing lightly against Clarke's chest in a clear attempt to get down. The queen finally looked away from the camp to focus on the toddler, swaying lightly with him. He remained fussy but stopped pushing against her, instead laying against her shoulder and she glanced over, shooting Lexa a partial smile.  
  
“Alright,” she said, looking from the Commander to the two kids standing beside them, “We've gone for the walk and seen what Heda wanted to show us, now it's time for bed.” Reese let out a sigh and Thom pouted but neither tried to argue. Lexa nodded solemnly, trying to control the twitching she could feel at the corner of her lips, and turned around and led the way back through the streets. Even fewer people were out now, so it wasn't long before they were walking into the Azgeda camp.  
  
“We're still gonna do something fun tomorrow, right Clarke?” Thom asked, big eyes looking up at the blonde and shining a little in the flickering light of the torches attached to the side of the building. It looked like most of their people must have gone to bed but Echo and Paten were still up and sitting at the fire pit, and they all heard the woman snort a little at his question. The queen ignored the noise and smiled down at him, telling him, “Yeah Thom, we're still gonna do something fun tomorrow before the council meeting.”  
  
“But what about training?” Reese nearly demanded, one fist going to her hip, and Clarke glanced up as though she were silently asking some unknown deity for help and Lexa tried not to grin. Meeting the stubborn Second's look, she informed her, “You are still welcome to come training with me and Aden if you would like.” That wiped the look from the girl's face and instead her lips turned up into a large smile, clearly happy with the answer.  
  
“Okay, now that the plans are made for the morning it's time for bed,” Clarke informed them all, and both kids sighed but didn't try to argue anymore. Thom tugged lightly at the blonde's shirt and she got the message, shifting Sef against her a little before she knelt on one knee and pulled him in for a one-armed hug. When he stepped away from her he moved straight over to Lexa and did the same, and despite the sash still hanging from her shoulder she did as he wanted, kneeling also and returning the hug he immediately gave her. Reese didn't try to get any hugs, probably still trying to act the cool Second, but nodded to both of them and flashed them a grin.  
  
“Night,” she just said and then grabbed Thom's arm lightly when he stepped away from the Commander. “C'mon Thom.” Before she could drag him towards the building he shot the two leaders a quick smile. “Night!”  
  
“Goodnight,” Clarke and Lexa returned at the same time, and then they watched as the two made their way inside and to their beds. As they disappeared Echo made her way over, nodding to the now sleeping toddler laying against the queen's shoulder.  
  
“I can take him,” she told them even as she reached out for the little boy. As Clarke transferred him over, she gestured behind her, adding, “And I can also make sure the two of them are actually going to bed.”  
  
“Thanks Echo,” Clarke replied, giving her a warm smile. “I appreciate it.” The warrior returned the thanks with just a nod, and then looked past her queen and raised an eyebrow at her cousin behind them. “Let me guess, you're going to follow them back to the tower, right?” He didn't respond, just met her look while the blonde rolled her eyes, and she shook her head even as her lips curled into a smirk. “Looks like you won't be able to get rid of him, Ubroukai.”  
  
“Believe me, I know,” the queen told her and then gave Jojesh a little smile. It may have been a trick of the flickering firelight, but Lexa thought she saw the big warrior just barely return it. Echo let out a light laugh and shook her head and then it was her turn to turn around and head towards the building. Without another word Clarke and Lexa left again, making their way to Polis Tower with Jojesh following along dutifully behind them.  
  
The moment the two of them stepped into the elevator, blessedly alone again, Clarke leaned into Lexa's side, her eyes closing.  
  
“As much as I love your room, mind if we go to mine tonight?” she asked, not opening her eyes as she all but curled up into the Commander's side, doing her best to ignore the less than comfortable leather and buckles pressing against her. “It's closer and I'm exhausted.”  
  
Lexa didn't try to stop the small smile the queen's words caused, letting her lips curl up easily. “Of course Clarke,” she replied, more than happy to help support the tired queen's weight during the long ride up the many floors of her tower. “Whatever you want.”  
  
She stopped the elevator sooner than usual and within minutes they were in the queen's room, both immediately letting their leader personas slip away. Clarke let out a heavy sigh of relief as the door shut behind them, her shoulders suddenly sagging as the tension from the day drained out of them. “Did this feel like a really long day to you?” she wanted to know, looking back at Lexa over her shoulder as she stepped towards the middle of the room.  
  
“Parts of it,” the brunette replied, unconsciously rolling her shoulder with the pauldron still on it, trying to ease sore muscles, and Clarke must have noticed. “Come on,” she said, making her way over to the little closet at the side of the room and pulling the door open. “Let's get into something more comfortable.”  
  
“You don't need to give me your clothes, Clarke,” Lexa tried telling her, but the look the blonde shot her kept her from trying to argue any further. Instead she followed her and accepted the soft shirt she was handed, one looser and longer than she would normally wear. Clarke helped her unsnap all the buckles of her Commander gear and pull the sash and pauldron from her shoulder, and then they both changed into the more comfortable shirts she'd grabbed. Whether the blonde thought it too hot for pants or just didn't want to hinder her view of the brunette's legs anymore Lexa didn't know, though when she caught blue eyes darting back up to her face as she turned towards her she had a pretty good idea which it was. She smiled at Clarke and the other girl smiled back, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Lexa's waist and letting the Commander's arms settle on her shoulders.  
  
“Are you alright?” Lexa wanted to know, pulling back just enough to look down at the blonde in her arms. “You were rubbing at your head during the feast.”  
  
“I'm fine,” she replied, not loosening her grip on the other girl and instead resting her head on one of her shoulders. “It was just a headache.”  
  
“Do you still have one?” Lexa felt Clarke shrug against her before she answered, “Yeah, but it's not that bad. Nothing I can't ignore.” She wasn't sure she liked the reply, wanting to be able to help in some way, and then had a thought. Pulling herself out of the queen's arms, she smiled when Clarke looked up at her curiously and then grabbed her hand lightly. “Come here,” she murmured, smile growing when the other girl didn't try to fight her at all and instead just followed her. She led the way to one of the big chairs in the room, sitting as far back in it as she could and then patted the spot between her legs. “Sit,” she told her, making Clarke raise an eyebrow at her, but then she did as the Commander ordered and sat, the chair just big enough to comfortably hold them both. Reaching forward, Lexa's fingers trailed along her shoulders lightly and then dug into the skin, being careful to avoid the queen's still-fresh brand.  
  
The moment her fingers pressed roughly into Clarke's muscles, the blonde let out a loud groan, the sound entirely positive and causing Lexa's stomach to flip. Her throat went a little dry at the noise, her body immediately responding to it, but she ignored those responses and listened only to Clarke's as her fingers continued to work along the other girl's muscles.  
  
“Mm, that feels so good Lexa,” Clarke groaned as a few fingers pressed into a knot she could feel in the center of her right shoulder blade. She pressed a little harder and Clarke let out another groan before she felt lips press lightly against the same spot through her shirt.  
  
“Let me know if I'm being too rough,” she heard Lexa murmur and she shook her head. “You're not. You could even be a little rougher.” Out of the corner of her eyes Clarke saw the other girl's lips curl up into a little smirk, felt her stifle a laugh, and then she sighed as Lexa's fingers pressed sharply back into the same knot. She sunk into the feeling of the other girl's fingers against her skin and let her eyes close, wanting to sink back against Lexa but holding herself up to make it easier for the Commander.  
  
“That council meeting was so long,” she said, simply to strike up some conversation. She loved being able to share the silence with her love, but she also loved listening to Lexa's voice, especially when it was just the two of them. It didn't matter what they were talking about, the other girl's voice was the most entrancing sound she would ever hear. Behind her she could feel Lexa nod, and then heard her say, “It was, but there have been worse. I doubt it will be the longest we will have to sit through.”  
  
Clarke nodded, opening her eyes and turning just enough so she could glance over her shoulder. “Yeah, that's what Luna and Daniel said.” Lexa's eyes flickered up, managing to meet her own as her hands continued to work. “I saw you left the meeting with Daniel and Danias.” The blonde nodded and Lexa lifted her eyebrows, silently asking her to continue, and Clarke gave a little shrug, the brunette's hands moving with the shift in muscle. “I wanted to ask them more about Amery and Eras and just the history of the Grounders. I know what happened before and when the bombs went off almost a hundred years ago, but not how all of this happened.” She gestured vaguely to the room around them, clearly indicating Polis and the Grounder society as a whole, and Lexa nodded behind her.  
  
“Did Daniel answer your questions?” she asked, fingers no less focused on their work though Clarke could tell from the almost too even tone in her voice that she was more interested in what the queen had to say. “For the most part, yeah,” she answered. Staring off at the far side of the room, she added quietly, “I just needed to know more about my title, you know? People have been calling me Wanheda for months now and all I knew was what it meant, not the history behind it. He told me about Eras and Teran and their history with your past lives. It was... interesting, I guess.”  
  
Lexa's hands stopped running along her back and instead one reached forward, fingers lightly cupping her chin and turning her more fully to face her. When she did Clarke found bright green eyes locked on hers and couldn't look away.  
  
“You are not Eras, and you are definitely not Teran, Clarke,” the brunette murmured, her grip on her chin not loosening. “You did not start wars or burn down villages to get your title. Everything you have done has been to protect your people. You are the fiercest person I know but that fierceness comes from the desire to protect those you love, not conquer others. There has never been a Wanheda like you and there never will be again.”  
  
Almost before she'd finished speaking Clarke crashed their lips together, her back straining at the awkward angle but not able to care enough to take the needed time to turn around any more fully. The sudden move caught Lexa by surprise but only briefly, and then she was returning the kiss with equal fervor, the fingers that had been gripping her chin instead sliding into golden locks. Clarke's hand moved to her jaw, the grip barely noticeable one second and then firm the next, and the two leaders simply clung to each other, finding no problem getting lost in the other girl's lips. When the queen finally broke away her grip on the Commander's jaw didn't loosen, and when Lexa opened her eyes after having fallen closed the second she felt the other girl's mouth against her own, she found blue glowing nearly as brightly as the Trishana's tattoos.  
  
“I love you, Lexa,” Clarke whispered, leaning forward just enough so she could barely brush her lips against the brunette's again. “Ai hod yu in.” As always the words, spoken in either language, caused Lexa's heart to skip a beat or two before quickening its rhythm as though to make up for it. Her breath got caught in her lungs as she gazed on the beauty pressed so closely to her, and heard herself murmur back, “I love you too, Clarke. Always.” The words brought a fresh smile to the blonde's lips and she shifted slightly in the chair, just enough so she could comfortably lean her head against the other girl's shoulder. Lexa almost let out a little laugh when Clarke's legs ended up over one arm of the chair, the blonde now effectively sitting in her lap, but the laugh morphed into a soft sigh as she felt the queen's weight press against her.  
  
They sat together like that for a few long minutes, long enough that Clarke's eyelids had begun to droop and her breathing had evened out enough to tell Lexa she would soon be asleep, when the Commander suddenly thought of something she'd meant to ask. Glancing down at the blonde against her she debated for a moment whether it was worth bringing up now when Clarke was so obviously tired, but she knew the thought would nag at the back of her mind until she had an answer.  
  
“Clarke?” she asked softly, trying to draw the queen out of her near slumber as gently as possible. “Mm?” was the only answer she got, the blonde not so much as moving against her, and it made Lexa smile softly. “What were you and Taigon talking about at the feast tonight?”  
  
She'd been about to fall asleep; if she'd had even just a couple more minutes of the quiet, Clarke definitely would have been out despite the slightly awkward angle her neck was in. The moment she heard Lexa's question though she woke right back up, inwardly cursing herself for forgetting to bring it up sooner. She straightened in the chair, picking her head up off of Lexa's chest, and saw the confusion and slight concern reflecting back at her in green eyes.  
  
“You're not going to like it,” she warned, her mind racing as she tried to figure out the best way to tell this story and keep Lexa from hunting down Ontari the moment it was out. Lexa's brow furrowed, the concern growing in her eyes but she remained quiet, clearly hoping to encourage Clarke to continue. The queen closed her eyes as she once again rubbed at her forehead, fully expecting this conversation to lead to another headache. “Octavia and Ontari got into a fight today,” she began, and when she opened her eyes again she saw Lexa's eyes narrow slightly but otherwise the Commander remained perfectly still. “I don't know what happened or how it started, but I guess it ended because Ontari saw Taigon.” She felt Lexa stiffen at her brother's name and decided it would be best to just plow ahead and give her all the information she had in the hopes of preventing either Ontari or Taigon's murder. “It sounds like maybe they antagonized each other and Taigon said something that almost made her attack. Renn was there and I guess a number of other people as well so she didn't, but if they hadn't been she probably would have.”  
  
For a long second Lexa was silent, as though the words were still sinking in, and then her hands moved to Clarke's side, just barely using any pressure to push her away.  
  
“Excuse me, Clarke,” she said simply, and the queen could hear the storm brewing at the edge of her tone. “I need to get up.”  
  
“I'm dealing with it, Lexa,” the queen informed her even as she shifted back into the chair so she could stand. “Octavia's going to help me; we're going to take care of Ontari.” When Lexa stood stiffly she reached out, grabbing the Commander's hand and met her look. Lexa could read the seriousness in her expression, could hear the truth in her voice as she added, “I swear, I will not let anything happen to your brother.” She returned the grip, squeezing Clarke's hand briefly.  
  
“I know you won't,” she replied, her voice softening minutely for just a second. She studied the other girl for a second and then asked, “Octavia's helping you?” Clarke nodded and her brow furrowed, not having expected the young Skaikru-turned-Azgeda warrior to have anything to do with Ontari. “How?”  
  
“She says they speak the same language,” Clarke answered with a quick shrug. “Something about fighting. I think she's gonna try to see if she can get through to her with a few intense rounds of training.” Lexa gave a stiff nod. Ontari was first and foremost a warrior. Much like Lexa herself and like she'd witnessed in Octavia, combat came naturally to her and made more sense than just about anything else. As far as plans went, she supposed it was as good as any so far, and she wouldn't pretend she didn't enjoy the idea of Octavia getting a few hits in.  
  
“Okay,” she just said. Glancing over to the door briefly, she moved over to the pile of clothes they'd left on the floor and grabbed a pair of pants, stepping into one of the legs quickly. “Octavia will deal with Ontari; I need to deal with my brother.” Nodding towards the bed, she looked back at Clarke and told her, “I know you're tired. Don't worry about waiting for me, I will try to be quiet when I get back.” She watched one of the blonde's eyebrows tick up even as she stepped into the second leg and pulled the pants up over her hips.  
  
“You're going to yell at your brother now?” Clarke asked. She glanced over to the windows at the side of the room, not surprised to see how pitch dark it was outside. “It's late Lexa, he's probably sleeping.”  
  
“Good,” the Commander muttered, an edge coloring her tone. The queen could see no amount of arguing was going to change the other girl's mind, so finally she sighed, stepping towards the pile of clothes also. “Hold on, I'll come with you.”  
  
“No Clarke,” Lexa told her, her voice immediately softening. She reached out and lightly grabbed the blonde's wrist, stopping her from grabbing any of the clothes. When Clarke gave her a look, Lexa lightly squeezed her wrist. “You are exhausted. Get some sleep, I'll be back soon. You don't need to come with me to help yell at Taigon.” She could practically read the debate taking place in the other girl's head, could see it in her expression, and so smiled lightly when the blonde finally nodded, letting her arm drop back to her side.  
  
“Alright, go ahead,” the queen said, “I'll wait up for you, so don't take too long. I've yelled at him already and Renn isn't going to let him out of his sight, so there's not much left for you to say.” The response caused the edges of Lexa's lips to twitch, almost wishing she could have heard the fearsome Wanheda telling her brother what a fool he'd been, but she held it back as she argued, “Sleep, Clarke, don't worry about waiting for me.” The queen gave her another look, this one more pointed, before she took a step forward and invaded the brunette's space, their chests practically brushing against each other.  
  
“I am going to wait for you Lexa, and that's that,” she stated, tone teasing but still not leaving any room for an argument. “So just yell quickly so you can come back and we can go to bed.” The Commander grinned and then nodded before she pressed forward, closing the space between them so she could leave a short lingering kiss against the queen's mouth. The next moment she was heading towards the door and then she was gone, and Clarke let out a sigh as the door swung shut behind her.  
  
Despite her words the blonde could feel her exhaustion weighing her down, and knew she would need some kind of distraction to keep herself awake until her love returned. Looking around the room, her focus caught on the rickety easel and table over in the corner, so far untouched, and figured it was as good a time as any to do some drawing. On the table she found a small book of parchment, each page blank, and grabbed it and a piece of charcoal and headed back to the chair she and Lexa had been sitting in just a few minutes ago. As she passed the pile of clothes on the floor her eyes flickered down at them and then she was grinning as she shook her head. In her haste to get to her brother, Lexa had grabbed the wrong pair of pants, her own still laying beside her sash while Clarke's were now missing. The blonde shook her head, half hoping the Commander wouldn't run into anyone too perceptive on her way to and from Taigon's room and half hoping she would. Curling up in the chair again, she opened the notebook up to the first page and brought the charcoal down to it, immediately beginning to draw the image that always seemed to be on her mind.  
  
The minutes passed by, the flames of the many candles spread out around the room burning away at their wicks, and Clarke did nothing but focus on the image before her, bringing a duplicate set of piercing eyes to life. 

***

Lexa wasn't entirely surprised to find Clarke asleep in the chair when she finally returned to the queen's room. She'd been gone longer than she'd meant to be, Taigon's story just angering her more when he told it to the point where she'd ended up just pacing back and forth in his room and calling him every form of idiot she could think of. He'd let her get it all out, watching her rather nonchalantly which had only made her more upset, until finally he'd managed to get her out of his room again. Now she was back, sneaking silently into the queen's room and getting a knowing look from the guard posted outside it, and Clarke was asleep, her head hanging at what she thought must be a very uncomfortable angle. She made her way quietly over to the chair, not wanting to disturb her more than was necessary, and was even less surprised to find the notebook she'd found for the blonde lying open in her lap, a piece of charcoal still held tightly in her grip. Lexa looked down at the open page and smiled softly when she found her own face staring back at her, the image only partially done but still clear. Carefully she took the book and set it on the table beside the chair and then even more carefully pried the charcoal from the other girl's grip before dropping it to the table as well. When both were no longer in the way she leaned down, one arm circling gently behind the queen's shoulders.  
“Clarke,” she whispered, keeping her voice quiet so as not to startle the other girl. For a moment she didn't respond, still clearly asleep, but when Lexa moved and pressed a little more securely along her back she shifted, her face scrunching sleepily as she refused to open her eyes.  
  
“Mm,” she groaned, the only response she seemed capable of at the moment, and Lexa's lips curled into a soft smile. She wrapped her other arm beneath the blonde's knees, having to shift the other girl's weight a little to get a good grip, and then lifted her up. Her brow shot up, clearly surprised at the sudden movement, but Clarke didn't open her eyes, instead just turned into the body now holding her up, arms moving to wrap lazily around Lexa's neck.  
  
“...Can walk,” the brunette heard her mutter, though the words were almost lost against her neck, and her smile grew. “You would need to open your eyes to do that, hodness,” she teased and felt Clarke puff out a loud breath of air against her skin, her only response. Lexa let out a light laugh, the sound almost inaudible, and began to carry her love over to the bed. “You could have gone to bed. You did not need to wait for me, Clarke.”  
  
“Didn't want to sleep without you,” her queen replied, the words thick with the very thing she'd clearly tried to hold off, and Lexa shook her head. She didn't say anything else, just held Clarke close until she reached the bed, and then quickly climbed onto the mattress and gently laid the blonde on top of the furs. Clarke didn't let go of her hold on Lexa's shoulders, dragging her right down beside her, and again the Commander smiled before she let herself curl up beside her love. She moved so she could press her forehead against Clarke's and watched as the other girl's lips curled up into a smile that matched her own, and then felt it when one hand moved down her body, searching for something. It found its goal and then fingers were twining between Lexa's own, and the brunette let out a soft sigh as her eyes closed, fully relaxing beside her queen.  
  
“See?” Clarke whispered beside her, but she didn't open her eyes. “It's better when we're together.”  
  
“Everything is,” Lexa heard herself murmur and she felt Clarke's grip along her fingers tighten, apparently agreeing. The blonde pressed her forehead a little more firmly against her own and the two just laid there, content to fall asleep now that they had their love right next to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really though, thank you all for your patience and I'm sorry this took so long. I would like to believe you'll never have to wait quite so long again for an update, but I can't necessarily promise that. I will certainly try to do better as I juggle my various stories! 
> 
> As a side note, I now know more about how to prepare lamprey than I ever thought I would need to know. Being a writer is kind of crazy sometimes. 
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> “Jova kom Oso Kru" – "The Courage of Our People”  
> “moksoka” - “lamprey”  
> “Mochof” - “Thank you”  
> “Ste yuj, Heda” - “Be strong, Commander”  
> "Ai hod yu in" - "I love you"  
> "hodness" - "love"


	15. Chapter 14

Clarke pressed herself more firmly against the body beside her, not caring that a shoulder just a tad too bony to be considered comfortable was pressing into her cheek. She could feel fingers lightly tracing her jaw and hummed as the touch caused what felt like electricity to shoot beneath her skin. Those fingers stilled for a brief second but when she tilted her head further against that bony shoulder they continued their trail, moving as though her skin were a map in need of exploring.  
  
“I didn't mean to wake you,” she heard murmured, and cracked one eye open. As she suspected Lexa was watching her, bright eyes following the movement of her fingers to take in every detail of the blonde beside her. Clarke eyed her right back, having to purse her lips and fight down a smile when she noticed the many strands of hair that had escaped her braids in the night, now sticking to the other girl's pillow and straining outwards in their momentary freedom. Like this she looked like an ordinary young woman just enjoying her morning in bed with her love and nothing like the ruthless Commander thousands knew her as, and it all just made Clarke's heart squeeze tightly in her chest.  
  
“You didn't,” she replied, her voice a little hoarse from sleep. “I was already up, just didn't want to open my eyes.” Lexa looked at her like she didn't believe her and the blonde grinned, shifting so she could sling an arm around her waist. Giving it a little squeeze, she asked, “How long have you been awake?”  
  
“A little while,” the brunette admitted, fingers now moving up to lightly push the hair out of Clarke's face. “I enjoy watching you sleep. It's nice to see you so relaxed.”  
  
“Hm,” she responded, the sound her only answer for a moment as her eyes closed again and she held herself against the other girl. With the way she lay she could feel Lexa's chest rising and falling slowly and she willed herself to remember every detail of the gentle motion. “One of these days I'm going to wake up before you and get to see you sleeping and relaxed.”  
  
“I am relaxed, Clarke,” Lexa teased lightly, her fingers still gentle as they brushed down her cheek. “Laying here with you is all I need to relax.” The blonde flashed her a grin and then pushed herself up until she could hover carefully over the other girl, looking down at her just long enough to memorize every detail of her face before she leaned down and engulfed her mouth in a long, sweet kiss. She heard a little sound escape Lexa's throat, something caught between a sigh and a moan, and the noise went straight to her chest. She felt the brunette make a face when she let out a laugh, but didn't let that dissuade her from trying to pull another noise just like it out of her again.  
  
Finally the kiss ended and Clarke pulled back, eyes opening to see Lexa's closed and a slight pink hue painting her cheeks, one that made her pulse pick up. When eyelids lifted and she saw green eyes again she grinned at the look in them, even as one of the brunette's eyebrows ticked up.  
  
“That does not exactly help me relax, Clarke,” she admonished her, though the way her eyes fell down to plump lips told the blonde the kiss had been more than welcome. Fingers returned to their journey across her skin and she sighed inaudibly as she felt the tip of Lexa's pointer finger run over the beauty mark just above her lip.  
  
“It's my way of saying good morning,” she joked, quirking an eyebrow up to mirror the Commander's look. “But if it's unwelcome I can make sure not to do it again.” She made as though to pull away but the moment she did Lexa reached out and gripped her arm, keeping it against her waist. “I didn't say it was unwelcome,” she murmured and then she was pushing herself up and it was her turn to initiate a kiss, lightly pulling the queen back down with her to truly wish each other a good morning. Clarke happily sank against her, more than content to spend a few lazy minutes with nothing to worry about other than the feeling of Lexa's mouth moving against hers.  
  
As they kissed, Clarke's hand against the other girl's side explored, moving lightly up and down over her shirt and itching to slip beneath it so she could feel her skin. As it dipped lower however she felt her fingers brush against the hem of the pants she still wore, and the feeling of the material finally made her pull out of the kiss. Glancing down at her own pants still clinging to the Commander's body, she tried to fight down another grin and lost.  
  
“So did anyone see you in the Ice Queen's pants last night?” she asked lightly, giving Lexa a look as her fingers traced along the hem. “Other than you brother, who was probably too busy being yelled at to notice.”  
  
Lexa's gaze trailed down her own body to find the source of Clarke's sudden amusement, and she didn't try to hide the surprise when she realized the blonde was right. In her haste to speak with her brother she hadn't noticed what pants she had been putting on, and only now was she realizing her mistake. Thinking of the few people she'd passed on her way to and from Taigon's room, she looked up at the ceiling and then shook her head.  
  
“I don't believe anyone noticed,” she answered, trying to remember if any of those people had given her strange looks. Honestly she'd been too preoccupied to notice any kind of reaction, but the smirk she could see tucked into the corner of the queen's mouth had her refusing to admit as much. “No one I passed said anything, at least.” Clarke just continued to give her that same look, something smug and teasing painting her expression and Lexa was about to pull her in for another kiss to try to wipe it away when the blonde moved closer, lips barely more than an inch away from her ear as she murmured, “I like it when you're in my pants.”  
  
Something about the husk in her voice had Lexa's stomach dropping, a hidden meaning behind her words that clearly had something to do with more than just the piece of clothing covering her lower half. She tried to swallow but suddenly her throat had gone dry and that sensation only increased as those fingers trailing along the hem of her pants moved to their center, quickly popping the button open and pulling slowly at their zipper. “And I really love getting in yours.”  
  
“Clarke,” she tried to warn, attempting to put at least a small ounce of force into the girl's name to stop what she could see was about to happen, but instead her traitorous body made it come out more as a whimper. “There isn't time. We should be getting ready for the day.”  
  
“We have time, Lexa,” the blonde argued lightly, glancing up at the brunette's face and then over to the windows where dull light streamed in. “It's still early. We have a little while before Reese and Thom will be expecting us.” She looked back at the Commander then, head tilting slightly to the side before adding, “Unless you have another meeting you have to go to before then?”  
  
Through the foggy mist beginning to spread in Lexa's mind, she shook her head. Clarke's fingers moved along the path of the zipper, the pressure just enough so she could feel the movement against the fabric and it made thinking more difficult than usual. “No, no meetings. But still...”  
  
“We don't have anywhere we need to be,” Clarke insisted softly though her fingers didn't move from the zipper. “I want to touch you, Lexa. I was too tired to last night, and we only have so much more time together before I have to go back to the Ice Nation. I want to touch you as much as I possibly can until then.”  
  
Lexa couldn't be sure whether the reminder of the queen's inevitable departure or just the feeling of her hand still near where she suddenly burned for her was what changed her mind, but suddenly every other thought was pushed away and she was nodding. She gripped Clarke's arm and then pulled her back down, their mouths crashing together, and the queen took that as her invitation to proceed. Her hand slipped beneath her own pants and rubbed her fingers lightly along the length of Lexa's slit, the thin underwear between their skin barely able to contain the heat she could feel building for her. The touch, as indirect as it was, caused Lexa to press against her, one hand cupping her neck roughly while her hips bucked up just enough to encourage Clarke to continue.  
  
The queen wasted no time doing just that. As her lips worked hungrily against Lexa's mouth her fingers continued to trail along the other girl's sex, her attention split between the two. It was hard to decide which was more important in that moment, returning the Commander's kisses or letting her fingers venture further in their exploration of her body, but after a few seconds of indecision a low whine broke out of Lexa, making the decision for her. Quickly she broke her mouth away from the other girl's, her lips now pressing feverish kisses along the length of her always impressive jaw and down her neck, nipping lightly at the crook of her shoulder, before she pulled away. Lexa whined once again when the heat of her mouth left her skin but a moment later she was clenching her jaw, trying to keep a moan in as she watched the queen slide down her body. As Clarke's fingers plucked and pulled at the material of her pants Lexa lifted her hips and kicked her legs, doing her best to help her love rid her of the clothing. She moved to slide her underwear down as well, needing to be free of any restrictions and open to Clarke, but before she could the queen lightly swatted her hands away. She looked at the blonde curiously, brow furrowing a little at the motion, but the blonde just returned the look with a smug one of her own. Before Lexa could ask any questions Clarke was hovering over her again and their mouths came back together, any words the Commander had dying away at the feel of the queen's tongue pressing against her barely parted lips.  
  
Clarke had no desire to rush. She wanted to spend minutes that melted into hours kissing Lexa, wanted to work her up slowly and take her time loving every part of her. She wanted to feel the light of the sun settle over them and shift as the day progressed, wanted the two of them to be locked away from the outside world until there was no world other than this one with the two of them here in her room. That couldn't happen she knew, they couldn't ignore their duties for more than this handful of stolen minutes before the day would truly begin, but she could wish. One day she would have that, have Lexa all to herself when neither had to worry about anyone else waiting for them, and until then she could take whatever time with the brunette she could get so she kissed her, long and hard and sweet and soft. They kissed until she was sure she would pass out from the high of it all and she kissed her some more.  
  
Eventually the queen knew she had to hurry this along though. They could both only distract themselves from their duties for so long, and she had no intention of getting Lexa this worked up and then not finishing what she'd started. Her arms slipped behind the other girl's back until she was holding her, and then she rolled, surprising Lexa as they both turned over. The Commander now sat on top of her, straddling her thigh, and Clarke smirked into their kiss. Lightly she pressed her thigh up, immediately feeling a bit of dampness against her skin and Lexa took in a sharp breath, just barely breaking away from her mouth. Almost as though it were an automatic reaction she pressed down against the thigh between her legs and then stilled, eyes glancing up to find an amused Ice Queen watching her.  
  
“Go ahead, Lexa,” Clarke encouraged her, one hand trailing down her stomach as the other brushed messy brown curls away from her face. “I want to feel you.” As though to prove her words, as she finished speaking her hand continued down until it slipped beneath her underwear and she wasted no time in lightly swiping her finger over the Commander's clitoris.  
  
The deliciously sudden sensation made Lexa gasp, eyes falling half closed and then she found herself pressing down roughly against Clarke's thigh, loving the added pressure it gave her. She could feel the other girl's eyes on her, watching her as she moved but she didn't care. If anything it made her press harder, made her move a little faster, and she felt herself smirk a little when she heard Clarke's breath catch. The sound made her look up until she caught blue eyes busy staring at her with emotions at times she still wasn't sure she deserved. The queen must have felt her looking because the next moment their eyes met and Lexa's smirk grew just a fraction, speeding up her actions. In turn Clarke began circling her clit, pressing roughly against the bud and then backing off until she was barely touching it, and the erratic pattern soon had Lexa caught between whimpers and groans. She had no way of pinpointing when the queen had come to know her body so well; at times it seemed as though she'd known from their very first time together all the best ways to wind the Commander up and break her down so entirely, and the knowledge that Clarke could play her body so easily had her hips pressing almost harshly down against the thigh between them.  
  
From the moment Lexa began moving against her, Clarke was in heaven. The feeling of the damp fabric pressed against her bare leg, seeming to get wetter with every downward motion; the way brown hair swayed with their movements, much of it still a little wild; the rate at which the other girl's breathing picked up, her chest rising and falling more quickly than any other movement. Perhaps most importantly, the look in Lexa's eyes when they met her own, half-lidded but so soft as though she were looking on something in wonder; it all made Clarke forget how to breathe. For a moment she was sure she'd never seen anything more beautiful until some whisper in the back of her mind reminded her she thought that nearly every time she looked at Lexa. Clarke wasn't entirely sure what she thought about reincarnation or any kind of other-wordly beings, but she knew without a doubt there was something almost surreal about this other girl, something no law of nature or man could ever possibly explain.  
  
With her hips moving and her chest now heaving, Lexa straddled the edge of her orgasm. She could feel it, built up and ready to be released but something held it back, something kept her from tumbling over that edge. She grit her teeth, pressed down harder, and let out a groan of something like frustration as she still teetered along its edge. Clarke heard the sound and grinned before leaning forward, wrapping her free arm around her waist and then pulling Lexa back with her. The brunette followed and sunk against her, immediately pressing her nose and lips against the crook of the queen's shoulder and just breathed her in. She couldn't quite get the right angle with this shift but it seemed as though Clarke had known that; almost before she even tried to regain her movements the blonde's fingers slipped further down her underwear, gliding easily through the wet that had so easily stained her thigh even with the material between them, and slid two fingers inside her. The sensation of finally being full, of being full of _Clarke_ was all Lexa needed: after only a few long thrusts she let out a silent gasp against the queen's neck, that little something else found and delivered and she broke, quaking against the other girl.  
  
For a few long seconds they stayed like that, Lexa pressing down against Clarke and Clarke holding her, slowly and gently still moving her fingers so the Commander could experience every piece of her release, every tiny spasm that made it nearly impossible to catch her breath as she tried to calm herself down. The queen considered starting all over again the moment those spasms stopped, considered seeing if she could convince Lexa that they had time for another round, but then didn't fight it when the other girl began to stir. Lips pressed lightly against her neck first, making the blonde swallow thickly and very much reminding her of the burn that had steadily grown between her own thighs throughout all of that, and then Lexa pushed back lightly, sitting back so she could see Clarke's face.  
  
“Ain hodnes,” she murmured, eyes slowly scanning across her face. “Ain meizen, meizen hodnes.” Slowly she moved forward and began placing light, almost non-existent kisses along the queen's jawline, causing Clarke's pulse to skyrocket. “You're the meizen one,” she managed to get out before she turned just enough to capture the other girl's mouth against her own, the hand that had been on her back now rising up to cup her cheek. Lexa pressed harder into the kiss, deepening it until all the queen could do was sit back and let the Commander guide her as both hands moved up to delicately hold her face. Clarke's muscles melted beneath the strong push of Lexa's lips and sweep of her tongue, until a thought managed to form past the fog in her mind. The corners of her mouth twitched, the only indication of her plan, and then the hand still between Lexa's legs began to move again, her thumb moving up to sweep across her clit as her two fingers pressed deeper inside her.  
  
Before she managed to do anything else, Lexa had broken their kiss, her muscles clamping around Clarke's fingers in a way that made the blonde moan and one hand dropped so she could wrap her fingers securely around the queen's wrist.  
  
“No,” she declared, her voice light but the words nevertheless a clear order. “Yu twis op.”  
  
“Lexa, you don't have to,” Clarke began, but the Commander's mouth against her own again cut her off. “I want to, Clarke,” she replied when she pulled away, one hand coming up to brush a few stray strands of hair from the queen's face. “I want you. I will not let you leave this room until I have made you feel just as good as you made me feel.”  
  
When she pulled back again, she found a raised eyebrow and the corner of Clarke's lips curled up. “Oh yeah?” she asked, and then glanced over towards the windows. “We should probably be getting ready to leave soon. Thom and Reese will be waiting for us.” Lexa smiled, the movement slow and lazy as she leaned forward, trailing her lips along the hint of collarbone that stuck out of the neck of the blonde's shirt. “They will have to wait.”  
  
About to tell Lexa she was pretty sure she'd never made anyone wait for her ever before and Reese and Thom weren't likely to be the most patient people to test that out on, the words were cut off as the Commander's mouth began to travel south, moving slowly over her shirt. Beneath the fabric Clarke could feel her nipples stiffen as those lips got closer to them, until Lexa's tongue lavished one, making her moan at the stimulation. Her head fell back as the other girl shifted over to repeat the same attention to her other breast, and without realizing what she was doing her thighs pressed together, trying to relieve some of the hot tension she could feel building between them. Whether or not she noticed the movement Lexa certainly did, and spent only another short second with her lips around the queen's nipple. She continued downward, her entire body shifting with her, and despite herself she couldn't quite hold back a small shudder as Clarke's fingers finally slipped out of her. From the little huff she heard the queen let out, the blonde wasn't too happy to have her fingers free again but Lexa smirked as she kept her head down, nearing her destination. She would distract her love from the change very soon, until the only thing she would be able to think about was her own release.  
  
Once she got to Clarke's waist, Lexa didn't hesitate or waste any time. One second Clarke was fully focused on the lips brushing against the skin just beneath her belly button where her shirt had ridden up, and then she was letting out a surprised gasp as Lexa's fingers moved beneath the elastic of her underwear and yanked them down her legs. The moment she could wrap her mind around the motion she was helping, kicking the fabric off and not caring whether it ended up on the floor or beside them on the bed. She picked her head back up as the weight on the bed shifted and Lexa rearranged herself between the blonde's legs. The Commander laid down on her stomach, not caring at all that her legs hung over the end of the bed, and easily lifted Clarke's thighs so they rested against her shoulders. Looking up the queen's body from where she lay, she found the other girl watching her intently, her mouth barely hung open and chest already rising in short, strained breaths. She turned her face to press a wet kiss against one of the other girl's thighs, not breaking eye contact with Clarke, and then immediately dove in, not missing the way the muscles in the queen's legs tensed the second her breath hit her sex.  
  
When Lexa's tongue parted her lips, Clarke's head fell back again, bumping a little more heavily against the worn headboard behind her. The Commander's tongue moved immediately to her clit, circling it before drawing nonsensical patterns against it, and her eyes snapped shut, as though the lack of sight might dull the intense waves of sensation running through her to help her keep her sanity a little longer. She could feel Lexa's thumbs gently caressing her thighs, as though she couldn't possibly keep her hands still with Clarke's flesh beneath them, but just as her mind began to register the movements that incredible tongue moved lower, entering her with little warning. Suddenly being full, having Lexa's mouth against her and tongue inside her, caused the queen's brain to entirely short-circuit and all she could do was let out the moan that had been building in her chest since the Commander had begun moving down her body. The sound seemed only to spurn Lexa on as the brunette's efforts increased the moment it was out, and Clarke could do nothing but feel and moan and wonder what she'd done so right that led her to being here in this moment with this amazing girl. One of Lexa's hands shifted and then her thumb was pressing roughly against her clit and Clarke couldn't even manage to think about that anymore either. Her fingers flew to the head between her thighs, fingers burying themselves into brown hair with barely more than a momentary thought about whether or not any of the Commander's braids had survived long enough that she needed to be careful with how hard she pulled. Apparently Lexa didn't care even if there were braids tying any pieces of hair together, as the moment she felt Clarke's fingers against her scalp she seemed to double her efforts.  
  
By nature, Lexa was a warrior. The Spirit of the Commander had chosen her to lead her people, but at her roots she considered herself a warrior and little more. The adrenaline of battle had always thrilled her, always kept her going when others were too weary to continue. She'd always believed nothing would ever be able to get her heart to beat as quickly or as proudly as when she was locked in battle with another warrior, fighting for her life and her people. Moments like this with Clarke however were far superior. As Clarke's arousal coated her tongue, the scent filling her nostrils, her heart raced too quickly to try to keep track of. As the grip in her hair tightened, bordering on a sharp pain as a few strands were tugged nearly to their breaking point, Lexa felt a rush of pride she'd felt only a few other times in her life coarse through her, those other times being the few when she had been privileged enough to bring this kind of reaction from the queen. Warrior work meant nothing compared with being this girl's love, with being the one who got to hold and kiss and pleasure her.  
  
As Clarke squirmed slightly beneath her, her pleasure clearly mounting, Lexa knew nothing that could ever happen to her would ever match up to making her love lose control as she knew she was about to do. She waited for just another few seconds, not ready for this moment to end, but when she heard the rough whine escape Clarke's throat she could hold back no longer. With no warning the pressure from her thumb increased, rubbing tight, rough circles against the queen's clitoris and a moment later came Clarke's sharp cry as her muscles spasmed and body shook. Lexa remained where she was and helped her though it, her tongue slowing in its movements until she could focus solely on cleaning the other girl up. When her tongue barely brushed against her clit however Clarke shuddered, too sensitive for even a gentle touch, and tugged lightly against the hair still wrapped around her fingers. Lexa obliged the silent request and disentangled herself from between the queen's legs, slowly moving back up the bed until she could sink down against the other girl's body. Clarke didn't wait to reach over and pull her closer, quickly closing the gap between them so she could draw the brunette in for a long, slow kiss.  
  
“Ain,” Clarke managed to get out between quick breaths when they finally broke apart. She kept her grip on Lexa, not letting either of them pull away as she stared at the woman she loved and would do just about anything for. “Ai hod yu in, Leksa. Toli.” The smile Lexa gave her at that was enough to calm her racing heart, everything inside her settling as warmth flooded her chest. “I love you too, Clarke. More than I know how to say.”  
  
They stayed like that, each staring into the other's eyes, until Clarke finally forced herself to look away and glanced over at the windows. Seeing the amount of sunlight streaming through them, she let out a heavy sigh. “Okay, we should probably be getting ready now. Thom and Reese really will be waiting.”  
  
“Another minute,” Lexa told her softly, her thumb stroking the blonde's jaw lightly as she stared at her, apparently not yet able to take her eyes away from her. Clarke didn't even try to fight the way her lips curled up at that and she nodded as she shifted on the bed, pressing herself just a little closer. “Another minute; I like that.”

***

“Sef that's _mine_!” Thom huffed, scowling at the laughing toddler. He started towards him but the little boy was quicker, something that always made him mad. As he managed to remain out of arm's reach, Sef kept laughing, shaking his head and holding tightly to the ball in his hands. “No mine! Ain ain mine!” Thom chased him, never quite able to catch up even though the toddler's legs were shorter and he just laughed, clearly enjoying this new game.  
  
Clarke hid a grin behind her hand, watching the two boys. She knew Thom wouldn't appreciate her laughing at him, but the scene was too funny to entirely hold in her amusement. It hadn't been her intention to start trouble when she convinced Thom to let Sef play with them, she'd honestly just been trying to give Kila a break as she and Niylah got everything set up for trading, but she probably should have seen this coming. The toddler had a level of energy unmatched by anyone she knew except maybe Octavia. Honestly if she was anything like this when she was a toddler the blonde had no idea how she managed to remain a secret for the first fifteen years of her life.  
  
“I mean it Sef, give it back! We're playing with that!”  
  
“Okay, come on Sef, listen to Thom,” she finally said, stepping in when she saw Thom's scowl deepen. “The ball belongs to Thom, you can't just take it.”  
  
“Ain!” Sef declared, looking up at her with a large, toothy grin. With him now distracted, Thom managed to close the gap between them and grabbed at the ball, trying to take it back. The action made Sef scowl too, his grip tightening on the toy but in this Thom had the superior strength. He yanked the ball away, pulling it close to his chest, and Sef went after it, little fists up and then coming down against his arm. “No! Mine!” Thom turned to shield the ball from him which only made him angrier, his fists moving faster now.  
“Hey,” Clarke said as she quickly stepped forward and lightly grabbed the toddler around the waist, hoisting him up to put some space between him and the older boy. “No hitting, Sef. The ball belongs to Thom and he's playing with it right now.” Sef did not like that answer and began to wriggle around in an attempt to get down but the blonde just held on to him a little tighter, not letting go like he clearly wanted.  
  
Behind her she heard someone let out a laugh and turned to see Octavia exiting the building, arms stretching lazily over her head. When she saw the queen looking, she flashed her a smug grin. “When did you become a mother?” she wanted to know, cocking an eyebrow up and looking between the two clearly upset boys. Clarke returned the look, telling her blandly, “The day the council sent us to the ground.” The warrior held her head up but then shrugged nonchalantly, apparently conceding and agreeing before she walked over to the fire pit to grab some breakfast.  
  
“Clarke we're supposed to be playing,” Thom reminded her, completely ignoring their conversation. He held up the ball as though to remind her he'd managed to get it back, and she glanced from it to the fussy toddler still wiggling in her arms. “That's gonna be a little more difficult now, Thom,” she told him but when he gave her a look, frowning, she sighed and then nodded. “Alright, hold on.” Carefully she transferred a still unhappy Sef to her right hip, holding him tightly with one arm, and then nodded to Thom to toss her the ball. He did and she hurried to catch it, the movement apparently enough to calm the toddler down. She bounced him lightly as she moved back and forth to throw and catch the ball, somehow managing to entertain both kids at the same time.  
  
For a few more minutes their game continued uninterrupted, Clarke doing her best to give Thom as much of her attention as possible. She could tell he'd been feeling left out lately, and wanted to make up for it as best she could. The ball traveled back and forth between them, a toy he'd apparently gotten in a trade he was very proud of, and she felt her smile soften every time his grew. As she tossed it over to him however she absentmindedly scanned the camp and stopped when she noticed someone standing along its edge, observing her. Thom must have seen her attention shift because he didn't immediately try to throw it back, instead just stood there a little awkwardly, glancing between her and the person watching. Clarke readjusted Sef against her hip, luckily still seeming to be happy, and moved over to the observer. She had to wrack her mind momentarily to remember the appropriate title but the moment she did she smiled politely at the woman.  
  
“Shamein Sheni,” she said, nodding lightly to the leader of the Trishana Clan. “Is there something you need?” The woman returned the nod, her eyes on the blonde, and Clarke took the second to quickly study her. Her long arms hung easily at her side, no obvious tension in her stance. Dark wild curls sprung from her head as though they had a life of their own. While Clarke stood in a simple pair of pants and the short sleeve shirt she'd changed into after leaving Polis Tower earlier, Sheni wore nothing but a long flowing skirt that hung loosely around her legs and a dark band whose sole purpose was clearly to cover her breasts and nothing else. Her lack of clothing didn't seem to faze her; in fact she looked as though she were as cool as she could be and for a moment Clarke couldn't help but envy her as a few beads of sweat ran down the side of her face. Even this early in the morning she could tell the day would be just as hot as the previous one, maybe even hotter, and she thought maybe the Trishana had the right idea about how to deal with it.  
  
“I would like to talk,” she replied, her tone not quite guarded but not entirely open either. “Will you come to my camp with me?”  
  
Clarke hesitated for only a second. She had no idea why the leader of the Glowing Forest Clan wanted to talk now, no idea whether this was a good thing or bad, but she decided she had to do it. At the very least she could use this as an opportunity to get to know more about Sheni's people. She nodded and was about to agree when a voice beside her interrupted.  
  
“But Clarke, we're supposed to be playing,” Thom pouted, moving up beside her. He still held the ball in one hand but now it hung down by his side, dejected. She could read the disappointment in his expression and felt a stab of guilt shoot through her, but knew she couldn't pass up this opportunity. “I'm sorry Thom, I know I said we would play until I had to get ready for the council meeting but I need to talk with Sheni now,” she told him, watching his expression sink with each word.  
  
“Bring him,” the leader of the Trishana insisted, looking to Thom and then to Sef. The way her expression softened when she looked at them made Clarke decide there was a good chance she was going to like this woman. “Bring them both. My daughter is about his age, they can play.” She nodded to Thom as she spoke, giving him a smile, and Clarke felt her expression mirror it as she agreed. Thom still didn't seem entirely happy but followed nevertheless when they moved towards the street. To no one's surprise, before they could get more than a few steps away from the camp Jojesh appeared behind Clarke, the shadow she didn't want but had to accept. She threw a glance at him over her shoulder, held in a sigh, and nodded.  
  
As they walked, the queen tried to subtly study the woman beside her. Sheni walked with an easy gait, her expression entirely passive as though she had nothing to worry about or to hide. She would have expected her to be stealing her own glances of the Ice Queen as they went, but Clarke never noticed her focus shift anywhere but in front of her. While others they passed gave them strange looks, clearly wondering what the two leaders were doing together, Sheni looked perfectly calm.  
  
“The Commander brought you to my camp last night,” the Trishana leader suddenly stated, startling Clarke a little after being silent so long. She still didn't look over, didn't so much as glance towards the blonde, but Clarke could hear the question hidden beneath her words in her voice. Nodding, she replied, “Yeah, she wanted to show me what it looks like at night. She gave me a tour of the city my first full day here and showed me your camp, but that was during the day so I wasn't able to see your tattoos.”  
  
“Why did she want to show you our tattoos?” Sheni asked, a guarded curiosity in her tone. Clarke shrugged, telling her, “Because they're beautiful. She knew I'd think so, and wanted me to see them.” Now the older woman did look over, her head turning just a fraction so she could glance over at the queen and Clarke met the look. “Why would you care so much about the beauty of our markings?”  
  
“Cause they're pretty,” Thom answered for her, reminding both women he was there. They both glanced down at him and he stepped a little closer to Clarke as the strange woman looked at him, but added, “I like how they glow. It's cool.”  
  
The queen grinned down at him, shifting Sef over to her opposite hip to give her right arm a break. “Thom's right,” she agreed, her now free hand resting on his shoulder for just a second as she turned to look back up at Sheni. “They're beautiful. Lex- The Commander knew I would appreciate them.” At the woman's curious look, she explained, “She knows I'm an artist. I like to draw and create beautiful things when I can.”  
  
Understanding dawned across her face and Sheni nodded. “My houmon is also this... artist. Many of the designs you saw last night were made by him.”  
  
“He's very talented,” Clarke told her. She thought for a second, and then continued quietly, “I saw something like it my first night on the ground and hadn't seen it since. My friends and I were looking for supplies and the trees where we stopped for the night had glowing moss on them. Some of the other vegetation glowed as well. It was... indescribable.” It was hard for her to believe that was only months ago, so much had changed since. Standing in the middle of those trees with Finn had been the first real moment of peace she'd felt on the ground and the beauty of it all had been overwhelming. Now she walked beside the leader whose clan lived among trees that probably glowed even brighter than those had, an entirely different person than the girl who had stood in that moment with the boy with long floppy hair and a crooked smile.  
  
Not aware of the way the memory caused something to tighten in Clarke's chest, Sheni raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised. “It is not often you find such a thing so far north,” she informed her, studying the queen a little harder now. The blonde shoved the memory and feelings it caused aside, refocusing her mind on the present, and found the other woman's eyes on her. “The spirits must sense something in you, to allow you to see their work.”  
  
“I'm sorry, I don't understand,” Clarke replied, her brow furrowing a little, and as she spoke they rounded a bend in the street and then straight ahead was the Trishana Clan. With the sun up none of their tattoos showed but the camp was still a sight to see with children running around and people hauling themselves up alongside the buildings to get to the hammocks or scrambling back down to the ground. Clarke's eyes caught one man coming down, and he moved so fast she couldn't even be sure he was actually holding onto the the building or ropes.  
  
“My people believe it is the spirits' touch that makes the trees and earth glow,” Sheni informed her, also looking forward at her camp, and from the corner of her eye the queen could practically see her shoulders drop, suddenly completely relaxed in a way she hadn't seen her yet. “Our first leaders built their camps among them so that the spirits would always be near to protect them. We wear the marks you saw last night to honor them for that protection.”  
  
Clarke nodded slowly, taking the information in, but before she could ask any questions she heard yelling. She turned towards the source of the noise and found the little girl she'd seen the first time Lexa showed her this camp running straight towards them.  
  
“Nomon!” the girl shouted again, and sprinted right to Sheni. The woman laughed as the girl sprang forward, jumping up, and easily caught her, hugging her briefly to her chest.  
  
“Ain yongon,” she laughed into a mass of curls sticking up as wildly as her own. She looked over those curls to see Clarke watching, the corners of her mouth turned up just a little, and shifted the girl in her arms so they could see each other. “This is my daughter, Ina.”  
  
“Hei, Aina,” Clarke greeted, and the girl gave her a dazzling smile, clearly not shy in the least. “Heya!”  
  
“Aina, dison laik Kwin Klark kom Azgeda,” Sheni informed her daughter, nodding to the blonde. She looked at the toddler on her hip, frowned, and Clarke continued for her, “And this is Sef, and this is Thom.” As she introduced the older boy her hand settled back on his shoulder and he gave a little wave even as he moved closer to Clarke, almost so he was pressed up against her leg. Ina looked curiously between the two and Sheni translated the introductions, looking back over to the queen when she was done and telling her, “She does not know any gonasleng yet, we have not started teaching her.” The queen nodded but then movement over Sheni's shoulder caught her eye and she saw Jace approaching them, his expression more drawn and cautious than his wife's had been even when she met Clarke at the Azgeda camp. Behind her the queen heard Jojesh take a step closer, apparently seeing the apprehension in the man's expression as clearly as she did.  
  
“Sheni,” he said when he got closer, stopping by his wife. There were laugh lines drawn along the sides of his mouth but he wasn't laughing at the moment, his dark eyes instead fixed cautiously on the queen. “Why is she here?”  
  
“I invited her,” she replied, shifting her stance slightly to be able to see him more easily. Glancing over at the blonde and then back to him, she added, “I want to talk with her.” The answer didn't seem to appease him, his eyes still on Clarke, and she just met them, trying to look non-threatening and like she belonged there at the same time. After a few seconds of studying her he let out a sigh and then nodded before turning back to his wife and glancing down at his daughter. Reaching over he plucked her from her mother's arms, giving her a smile before setting her back on the ground. “Gyon au plei.”  
  
“Would they like to join her?” Sheni asked the queen, gesturing towards Thom and Sef. Clarke gave her a quick smile and nodded before kneeling down to set Sef on the ground. As she moved, she pretended not to notice the look Jace gave his wife and the look she gave him right back. Setting Sef down, she looked at Thom who clearly wasn't happy about this and pretended not to notice that either as a twinge of guilt shot through her gut.  
  
“Thom, why don't you take Sef and go play with Ina?” she suggested with a smile, hoping it might help erase the slight scowl he gave her. It didn't.  
  
“But Clarke, you said you'd play with me,” he reminded her, clearly trying not to whine. He glanced up at the two strangers, wishing the lady with the really curly hair hadn't come by. If she'd left them alone they could still be playing and he and Clarke would be having fun like they usually did. He missed it and was really starting to wish they could just go home.  
  
“I know I did Thom and I'm really sorry, but I need to talk with Sheni and Jace right now,” she told him, hoping he could hear just how sorry she was from her tone. She absolutely hated seeing that look in his eye and knew he didn't deserve this, but she didn't know what to do. She had an opportunity here she hadn't expected and she needed to seize it. “I promise we'll find another time to play, okay?” He didn't look like he believed her and she hated that, but tried to ignore it too. Gesturing to the ball he still held, she suggested, “Why don't you and Ina and Sef play with your ball? I bet you can have a lot of fun.”  
  
“Plei!” Sef exclaimed, apparently perfectly happy with the idea. Reaching his little hand out, he grabbed Thom's wrist, tugging it lightly as he chanted, “Plei Thom, plei!” The older boy continued to scowl at Clarke for another couple of seconds and then let out an exaggerated sigh before nodding. “Okay.” Giving him a smile, Clarke ruffled his hair lightly which caused his bad mood to crack just a little, returning the smile with a tiny one of his own. He glanced over at Ina, the girl clearly waiting to see if they were joining her for anything, and then the three kids moved over to the side of the camp and the queen watched as they began to throw the ball around, Sef laughing, Ina grinning, and Thom looking at least less upset than he had been.  
  
Standing back up, Clarke found both of the Trishana leaders watching her, a small smile tugging at Sheni's lips as Jace gave her a calculating look, less cautious now and more curious.  
  
“We did not know you are a mother,” he stated and the blonde shook her head. “I'm not,” she told him, and when he raised his eyebrows, looking over at the two boys now playing with his daughter, she explained, “Thom's parents died when the Ark – our home in space – came down. Sef's mother died trying to help me get away from Nia so I help his grandparents out with him whenever I can. It's the least I can do after what she did for me.” Glancing over at them, her lips curled up slightly. “I do love them though.”  
  
“Sometimes mothers do not give birth to their children,” Sheni said wisely, also looking over at the three kids playing. “Instead the spirits choose to bring them together in other ways.” Clarke didn't know what to say to that so she just nodded, eyes flickering back to the two boys again. She couldn't and wouldn't deny just how much they meant to her, and how in a lot of ways the Trishana leader's words made a lot of sense.  
  
“This... Ark,” Jace said, eyes scanning across her face, “It is the structure that fell from the sky last fall?” At the queen's indication he was right, he continued, “And it is where you lived...” Glancing up, he waved vaguely towards the sky. “Up there?” At another nod his head tilted slightly to the side. “Why did you come down? Why not stay in the sky?”  
  
“We've heard many stories,” Sheni told her, stepping over to her husband and placing her hand on his arm as she looked at the queen. “Stories of the Sky People dropping down and stealing land and starting wars. Of the new Wanheda killing warriors and destroying the Mountain.” Giving her a once over, she admitted, “You are not what I pictured. It is hard to believe you were able to defeat Nia in single combat.”  
  
“Were you and the old Ice Queen friends?” Clarke asked carefully, trying to keep her expression even. At the way both their brows furrowed and lips pursed, she knew that answer was no. That at least worked for her. “Nia wanted to start a war that would have killed hundreds of people.” The two older leaders noticed the shadow that passed over the young queen's face and could practically see her memories haunting her. “I'd seen enough death; I wasn't going to let that happen.”  
  
Jace studied her for a moment and then turned, looking back at her and then gesturing towards the center of the camp. “Come,” he told her, “We will sit and talk.” The shadow along her expression cleared and the queen nodded, following them into their camp.

***

Lexa sank back against the metal basin, allowing herself a few seconds to just soak in the cool water. After thoroughly scrubbing to wash away any grime from training the many suds from the beginning of the bath had dissipated and she could see her legs shift under the water as she sank just a little lower in the basin. She always loved this moment, the quiet relaxation of sinking into the water and ridding herself of the burdens she always carried on her shoulders. It couldn't last long, soon she would have to emerge as the Commander once again and begin to prepare for what would likely be another long day, but for just a few blissful seconds she could relax. As her back pressed up firmly against the metal and her legs stretched out in front of her, her lips curled up as a thought popped into her head. Perhaps sometime in the next couple of days she could convince Clarke to join her and they could relax together as they washed each other. It would be a tight fit; alone Lexa had just enough room to stretch out comfortably, but adding another person into the water would mean they would have to sit close. She would pull Clarke in after her, have the blonde sit with her back pressing against Lexa's front and she would smile as she watched their hair merge together in the soapy water. Everything about the moment would be perfect as their hands roamed gently over each other, likely sharing little smiles any time the queen would turn enough so they could see each other's faces.  
  
Sighing silently, Lexa stood up from the basin before those thoughts could drift any further. While daydreaming about Clarke was always enjoyable, she had other things she needed to be doing now and could not allow herself to get sidetracked. She had already let the blonde convince her once today to put off their responsibilities, even if just for a few minutes, and Lexa couldn't allow herself to do so twice in one day. Stepping out of the water she grabbed a towel laying neatly nearby and began to pat herself dry before trying to wring the excess water from her hair. Once she was somewhat successful she left the towel behind, hanging over the edge of the basin. Both towel and basin would be taken care of once she left by any of the many workers in her tower. Only certain people were allowed in her personal room but those who were had been doing their jobs long enough she didn't doubt it would all get done just as seamlessly as any other day.  
  
Body bare, she walked back into the main room, glancing for only a second to her bed as she passed it by. Images of her morning with Clarke in the queen's bed flashed across her mind, and a hint of a smile had appeared along her lips by the time she was pulling on a simple set of clothes. The cloth of her shirt was light, even a little thin after many years of use, but despite that she wished she could take it off almost the moment it was on; outside the hot summer sun beat down relentlessly, and with little breeze her room was quickly warming up. Banishing the unimportant thought away, as soon as she was dressed in what she would wear beneath her Commander gear she strolled over to the foot of her bed and easily sank down until she could rest her back against it. With her legs folded in front of her and hands laying lightly on her knees, she closed her eyes, planning to sink into the meditation she did every morning.  
  
This morning it was a little harder than normal to clear away the thoughts from her mind. Her hair dripped down her back, dampening her shirt and reminding her of the bath she'd just had and the one she'd imagined with her and Clarke together. She imagined the blonde's smirk as she ran her hands over her shoulders through the soapy water, a smirk that mysteriously matched the one Lexa had seen that morning as the brunette moved against her thigh. That correlation just made her think about their morning together, trying to remember every detail and store it away, and soon she forgot she was even trying to meditate.  
  
_Enough_ , a voice in the back of her mind said, one that sounded like her own but was a bit deeper and more demanding. _Now is not the time for this_. Immediately at the reprimand she forced all thought of the queen away, forced her mind to clear, and sank into the emptiness, feeling each muscle relax as that emptiness spread through her.  
  
Her internal clock told her she'd only been meditating for about ten minutes when the door to her room opened. She didn't bother opening her eyes: the guards always posted outside her room would never let just anybody in, which meant this had to be a person known for speaking with Heda alone. The person's gait mixed with the whispers of his long robe told her exactly who it was, and she just remained where she was on the floor without moving, mentally preparing herself as he made his way over to her. She waited a moment, wondering if he would speak first, and when he didn't she simply said calmly, “Titus.” Still she didn't open her eyes, but from the brush of the hem of his robe along the floor she knew he bowed as he always did.  
  
“Heda,” he replied, trying to keep his tone even but she could hear the trouble he felt coloring along its edges. She nodded once, her only indication he should continue with whatever he came to say, and was unsurprised when it came. “I am here to speak with you about Clarke.”  
  
“What about our Ice Queen do you want to discuss?” she asked evenly, though she had no doubt it would be more of the same he had been warning her about for weeks now. Instead of the warning she expected, he stated bluntly, “You treat her differently.”  
  
Finally opening her eyes she looked up at him, seeing the warning in his hawk-like eyes. From day one as Heda she'd felt as though he could see right through her, read her mind even, and many times she was sure he could. This was another of those times, but for the moment she simply said, “She is one of the newest leaders of our people and not yet entirely used to our ways. I help her to understand so she can be the great leader I know she is.” Not a single muscle in his face moved, his eyes just remained locked onto hers and she fought back the desire to stick her chin out. She tried to remain relaxed, to show him no concern of any kind but it was getting more and more difficult the longer he stared.  
  
“You single her out, give her more attention. If the other clan leaders think you are more loyal to the Ice Nation's queen than to the rest of them they will-”  
  
“In council meetings and in public I treat her as I do all my clan leaders,” Lexa interrupted, matching his glare with her own. She'd made sure to, made sure to treat Clarke no differently than anyone else other than that one moment in their first council meeting with Asher, and that had only been to protect her. Titus was right, the other clan leaders couldn't think she favored the Ice Nation because of her feelings for its queen or she would likely have a rebellion. Due to that she'd been careful at every council meeting, in ever discussion not to treat Clarke any differently.  
  
Her answer, it seemed, wasn't enough to satisfy her head adviser. He studied her for a second, eyes finally moving enough to scan her face and she let him, met the look with a controlled ease. After a moment he shook his head almost sadly, expression still hard as he reminded her, “Love is weakness, Lexa.” Jaw clenching, she rose to her feet, barely looking at him now as she bit out sharply, “I won't hear this again.”  
  
“To be Heda is to be alone,” he informed her, following her as she walked towards her desk. “You know that. I thought you learned it with Costia.”  
  
The name of her love-turned-traitor hit her like a blow, pierced a small but sharp hole into her chest. Over the months since returning from Keerie she'd healed some, been able to close off the wound that had re-opened and grown when she learned about the true fate of her first love but she knew it was a hurt that would never entirely heal. Titus knew it as well and prodded at it now, trying to drive his words where they might actually get her to listen, but she would have none of it.  
  
“Clarke is not Costia,” she managed to get out, nearly spitting the words out between clenched teeth. “She proved that when she withstood Nia's torture and then later when she herself drove a sword through Costia. Clarke is strong, and loving her is not weakness.”  
  
“You are Heda,” he argued, clearly refusing to give up. As an adviser he was always cautious in everything except now from telling her when he thought she was wrong. A part of her knew it was his job to warn her when he thought she was making a wrong decision, but a larger part knew he'd crossed a line even before stepping into her room. The warrior and Commander inside her was done listening.  
  
“Enough!” she yelled, spinning on her heel so she could glare at him. He stopped in his tracks as she did, eyes widening just a fraction before he clenched his own jaw. “I said I will hear no more of this! Clarke is the Ice Queen and she will remain as the queen until she chooses to step down or someone challenges and beats her. Until that time I will treat her as I treat all the clan leaders when we are in public. How we are with each other when we are not is not anyone's concern including yours. That is the end of this: if you try to bring this discussion up again with me or her I will find myself a new adviser. Do you understand?” He returned her look, as though weighing whether or not it would be wise to try to continue anyway after the threat, and then nodded stiffly. Now she did lift up her head, sticking her chin out just a fraction, letting the stance remind him who he was talking to. “Good. Now leave me, I need to get ready for the council meeting.” His hands folded in front of him, sliding into the opposite sleeves before he bowed. “Sha Heda,” he just said before turning,exiting her room and leaving her alone.  
  
With the door closed again behind him, Lexa sank into the chair at her desk, some of the fight washing out of her. She understood where Titus was coming from, knew it was all only because he didn't want to see her get into any trouble she couldn't get herself or her coalition out of, but it still nearly made her muscles quake with anger. Her entire life she'd known the Commanders had always been alone, never had any single person in their lives to care for. Their lives were dedicated to protecting those who followed them and therefore could not be spent in search of finding one person to love and care for. When she'd been named Commander she had been terrified it would mean having to leave Costia but she had promised that wouldn't happen. When she'd believed her love was dead she finally listened to Titus, thought he was right and that love truly was weakness as she broke down every night dreaming and agonizing over the girl she thought had died because of her. She had believed to be Commander really did mean having to be alone, and then Clarke had come along and destroyed that belief just as thoroughly as she destroyed all her enemies. She saw the way Clarke fought for her friends and family, how she fought for _Lexa_ , and knew then that love could never be anything but strength. Titus was a man of tradition though and overly cautious and convincing him as much was proving to be a challenge and a headache.  
  
Attempting to push back the anger Titus's visit had caused Lexa took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She should probably try to go back to meditating but she doubted she would be able to return her focus to the calm emptiness it demanded and so settled for the one long breath. Eyes opening again she looked forward, catching her reflection in the mirror and stared at it for a second before glancing away. Needing to busy her hands and figuring she might as well start getting herself ready for the morning's meeting she reached out and opened the small drawer to her right, grabbing the hairbrush out of it.  
  
She'd only been running the brush through her damp locks for a few minutes when the door to her room opened again. Stealing herself and trying to keep her temper in check in case it was Titus deciding he hadn't said all he needed to say, she glanced up at her mirror to see who it was and nearly breathed a sigh of relief. Instead of her opinionated adviser these two people were welcome and she gave them a polite nod through the mirror. The woman who was leading the way with her young daughter just behind her returned the gesture with a smile and then gave her a look when she noticed the hairbrush in her hand.  
  
“ _I thought I've told you to leave your hair alone_ ,” she reprimanded, one hand going to her hip as she raised an eyebrow at the Commander. She had a heavier set frame, graying hair and kind brown eyes and had been Lexa's mother's best friend. Since her friend's death she'd made sure to keep an eye on the brunette even after she was discovered to be the vessel for the Commander's spirit, and Lexa had made that easy enough for her to do when she'd asked her to help with her hair for ceremonies and council meetings. The request had been for both of their benefit: she could keep an eye on Lexa and the Commander wouldn't need to learn how to braid her own hair. Despite many attempts over the years, working with hair was one thing she had never quite been able to master, especially the intricate ones her title often required.  
  
“ _You have_ ,” Lexa agreed easily, handing the hairbrush over to the woman when she was prompted. Tipping her head slightly, she added for good measure, “ _My apologies Sara._ ” The woman just nodded firmly in response and then moved into position behind her chair and Lexa looked forward again, holding still as she began to brush out the rest of her hair, being careful of the few haphazard braids that somehow still managed to hold some sort of shape against her scalp. While she worked Lexa's eyes shifted over to the corner of the mirror where she could see the little girl's reflection. “ _Good morning, Jaki._ ”  
  
“ _Morning Heda_ ,” Jaki replied. She was eight, dark haired, and had brown eyes that matched her mother's. She had always been quiet but this morning she shifted her weight from one side to the other, eyes darting to Lexa, her mother, and away again, before returning to the Commander. “ _Can I help?_ ”  
  
“ _Heda doesn't need anything special for the council meeting, so no_ ,” Sara informed her daughter, not looking away from Lexa's head. Putting the brush down she began pulling at what remained of her braids and Lexa had to carefully maintain her facial expression as she added, “ _Though usually we don't have to re-braid all of these. Clearly you have been busy, Heda._ ” From the look she shot Lexa through the mirror the brunette wondered if she guessed what had taken place that morning and exactly why so many of the braids had been unable to hold their shape. Clarke had not been particularly gentle with her hair while she had been between her legs so it was no surprise they hadn't quite survived the attack. In response Lexa simply nodded once, making sure her face remained blank.  
  
While Sara tugged and twisted at the Commander's hair, rebuilding the braids that training, time, and a tight grip had destroyed, Jaki stood there, just outside of Lexa's periphery but within view of the mirror and continued to shift her weight and glance around. The behavior seemed odd to the brunette; Jaki often accompanied her mother when she was needed to help the Commander prepare for any kind of meeting and never seemed nervous. She was just old enough to remember Lexa before she became the Commander and while she certainly held the same awe for her that all of her people had, she was usually comfortable around her. Now she moved like she was nervous about something, and Lexa nearly frowned at the thought.  
  
“ _Enough Jaki_ ,” Sara finally called out, her voice firm but not unkind. The sudden sound of her mother speaking jumped the girl, and she blushed lightly as she looked up at her, realizing she'd been caught. “ _Just ask Heda what you want to ask her._ ”  
  
Lexa's brow twitched up at that, interest piqued, and she tried turning towards the girl until her mother's firm grip on her hair stopped her. Instead she looked over through the mirror again and met a nervous brown stare. She didn't say anything, just gave the little girl a small smile and waited for her to get up the nerve to ask whatever she'd been thinking about. Jaki bit her bottom lip, chewing on it for a moment before she ducked her head and asked sheepishly, “ _Would Wanheda let me braid her hair?_ ”  
  
The question shocked Lexa and for a moment she knew it showed before she schooled her expression again. Jaki was a skilled braider and worked well with hair in general, often times helping her mother whenever Lexa required something more intricate than the normal hairstyle, but she hadn't expected the girl to have any interest in anyone else's hair, especially not Clarke's.  
  
“ _Why do you want to braid Wanheda's hair?_ ” she wanted to know, and watched as the girl's expression shifted to one of awe.  
  
“ _Because the sun is in it!_ ” she exclaimed, finally no longer looking nervous. “ _Before she fell from the sky the spirits gave her some of the sun's power!_ ” She blushed slightly before nearly mumbling, “ _It's beautiful. She's beautiful, and I wanna see if I can feel the sun in her hair._ ”  
  
The Commander couldn't quite hold back her smile at that. She considered telling her that as beautiful as Clarke's hair was and how wonderful it felt to run her fingers through it, the blonde locks were no more like the sun than anyone else's, but decided against it when she noticed the way Sara smirked, her chin tucked against her chest as she pretended to focus only on Lexa's hair and nothing else. Undoubtedly if she said anything about the queen's hair it would only make the other woman's smirk grow. Instead she met Jaki's eyes again in the mirror and nodded once, solemnly.  
  
“ _I can speak with her, if you would like,_ ” she told the girl. “ _Perhaps she could use some help getting ready for one of the clans' ceremonies._ ” The response made Jaki beam, her lips pulled back so far in a grin that Lexa could count her teeth if she wanted. She took three big steps forward and forcefully wrapped her arms around Lexa's middle for just a brief second and the brunette's expression softened.  
  
“ _Thank you Heda!_ ” she gushed, still beaming. “ _Thank you thank you!_ ” Lexa returned it with another small nod, amusement tugging at the corners of her mouth.  
  
“ _Now that that's been decided, you should be getting ready for your council meeting_ ,” Sara declared as she stepped back, finally releasing the Commander's hair. Looking at her reflection again, Lexa found nice, neat braids once again in place, as though they had never been damaged in the first place. “ _We can help you get your gear on._ ” She considered declining the offer but decided not to and instead just stood up, leading the way to where her pauldron and sash were laid out on her bed. As Sara and Jaki helped settle both over her shoulders, the girl began to chatter, talking about Clarke's hair and how excited she was to be able to help the great Wanheda, and Lexa felt something in her chest begin to stir.  
  
Titus may not like Clarke and the relationship Lexa had with her but clearly there were others already enamored with the queen nearly as much as the Commander was and that was absolutely a step in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, but I appreciate the comments I still get telling me how much you guys enjoy this story! Know that it makes me more determined to write and get the next chapter out. Really, you're all the best!
> 
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> “Ain hodnes” - “My love”  
> Ain meizen, meizen hodness” - “My beautiful, beautiful love”  
> “Yu twis op” - “Your turn”  
> “Ai hod yu in, Leksa. Toli.” - “I love you, Lexa. So very, very much.”  
> “Shamein” - “Shaman” (My creation)  
> “Houmon” - “Husband”  
> “Ain yongon” - “My child”  
> “Aina, dison laik Kwin Klark kom Azgeda,” - “Ina, this is Queen Clarke of the Ice Nation”  
> “Gyon au plei” - “Go and play”


End file.
